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BV  285  .M544  1845 
Miller,  Samuel,  1769-1850. 
Letters  on  the  observance  of 
the  Monthly  concert  m 


LETTERS 


ON  THE  OBSERVANCE 


OF   THE 


MONTHLY   CONCERT   IN   PRAYER 


ADDRESSED    TO    THE 

MEMBERS  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN 
THE  UNITED  STATES. 


BY  SAMUEL  MILLER,  D.  D., 

Profostor  in  Ibe  Theological  Seminary  at  Princetoa,  New  Jeney. 


I 

PHILADELPHIA  : 
PRESBYTERIAN  BO.VKD  OF  PUBLICATION. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

The  writer  of  the  following  Letters 
was  requested  by  a  revered  and  be- 
loved friend  to  prepare  something  for 
publication  on  the  subject  to  which 
they  relate.  He  felt  the  more  disposed 
to  comply  with  this  request,  as  he 
was  not  able  to  refer  his  friend  to  any 
existing  manual  on  the  same  subject. 
The  substance  of  what  is  found  in  the 
ensuing  pages,  was  communicated  in 
four  numbers  in  a  periodical.  The 
whole  is  now  presented  in  a  revised 
and  somewhat  different  form,  with  the 
humble  hope  that  it  may  be  blessed 
to  the  advancement  of  that  precious 
cause  for  which  alone  it  is  desirable  to 

live. 

Frinceton,  Sept.  30,1845. 

(3) 


CONTENTS. 
LETTER  1. 

Page. 

Introductory  Remarks — History  of  the  Monthly  Con- 
cert — Duty  and  Importance  of  attending  it,  7 

LETTER  II. 

Hints   as   to   the   best   methods   of   conducting   the 
Monthly  Concert,  31 

LETTER  III. 

The  Duty  of  connecting  Contributions  with  Prayer,       51 

LETTER  IV. 

Concluding  Remarks — Appeals  and  Exhortation,  77 


(5) 


LETTERS 

ON   THE 

OBSERVANCE  OF  THE  MONTHLY  CONCERT. 
LETTER  I. 

Introductory  remarks — Origin  of  the  Monthly  Concert- 
Duty  and  Importance  of  attending  it. 

Christian  Brethren  :  In  the  heart  of  every  sin- 
cere disciple  of  Christ,  there  is  no  sentiment 
more  firmly  fixed,  or  more  habitually  recog- 
nized, than  that  of  his  entire  dependence  on 
God  for  every  blessing,  and  the  necessity  and 
duty  of  unceasing  prayer  for  all  that  he 
needs.  Man  can,  in  his  own  wisdom,  devise 
nothing  aright ;  he  can,  in  his  own  strength, 
accomplish  nothing.  It  is  not  by  human 
might  or  power,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  the  liv- 
ing God,  that  any  thing  truly  good  is  ever 
done  towards  promoting  the  spiritual  inter- 
ests of  individuals  or  of  mankind.  In  his 
hands  are  the  hearts  of  all  men,  and  he  can 
"  turn  them  whithersoever  he  pleaseth,  as  the 
rivers  of  water  are  turned."     We  may  devise 


8  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

t!ie  most  promising  plans  for  doing  good ;  we 
may  gather  round  us  the  most  ample  means 
for  carrying  our  plans  into  etfect ;  and  yet,  af- 
ter all,  unless  he  "  with  whom  is  the  residue 
of  the  Spirit/'  shall  add  his  blessing, and  make 
the  means  effectual,  all  will  be  vain.  "Paul 
may  plant,  and  Apollos  may  water,  but  God 
alone  cati  give  the  increase.  He  that  plantcth 
is  nothing,  and  he  that  watereth  is  nothing, 
but  Tfod  that  showelh  mercy." 

This  sense  of  our  dependence,  for  all  good, 
on  the  power  and  grace  of  Cod,  is  essential 
to  the  spirit  of  true  religion.  Until  we  have 
some  real,  practical  impression  of  it,  we  can- 
not either  sincerely  or  rationally  approach 
God  in  prayer,  or  cherish  those  sentiments 
which  become  us  as  sinners  indebted  to  free 
and  sovereign  grace  for  every  blessing.  Hence 
we  are  exhorted  t«)*<pray  without  ceasing  ;"  to 
'<  pray  always  wiili  all  prayer  and  supplica- 
tion in  the  spirit  f'  and  "  in  every  thing  by 
prayer  and  supplication  with  thanksgiving  to 
make  known  our  requests  to  God." 

And,  accordini^ly,  we  find  the  pious,  in  all 
ages,  acknowlodirin:^  their  dependence  ;  im- 
ploring with  humble  imporluuity  the  bless- 
ings of  which  they  fell  their  need ;  and  con- 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  9 

fessing  their  utter  inability  to  gain  them  by 
their  own  wisdom  or  strength. 

But  further,  not  only  do  we  find  the  pious 
represented  throughout  the  Bible  history,  as 
importunately  praying  for  the  supply  of  their 
own  wants,  but  also  as  interceding  for  their 
friends  and  brethren,  and  indeed  for  the  whole 
church  of  God,  and  for  the  world  of  mankind. 
This  duty  is  founded  on  the  divine  command 
to  do  so,  and  also  on  the  fact,  that  every  hu- 
man being  is  bound  to  seek  the  happiness  of 
his  race,  and,  of  course,  is  every  Christian  pe- 
culiarly bound  to  desire  and  endeavour  to  pro- 
mote the  welfare  of  the  whole  human  family, 
and  especially  of  all  who  belong  to  "  the 
household  of  faith  ;"  and  it  shows  the  wis- 
dom as  well  as  the  benignity  of  our  God,  that 
the  discharge  of  this  duty  is  always  adapted 
to  carry  with  it  its  own  reward.  The  more 
we  feel  and  pray  for  our  fellow-men,  and, 
above  all,  the  more  we  feel  and  pray  for  the 
enlargement  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  for 
the  return  of  our  revolted  world  to  God  and 
happiness,  the  more  our  benevolence  is  in- 
creased ;  the  more  we  resemble  our  Father  in 
heaven ;  and,  of  course,  the  more  our  own 
spiritual  improvement  and  happiness  are  pro- 
moted. 


10  LETTERS    ON   THE    OBSERVANCE 

But  not  only  is  intercession  a  duty  incum- 
bent upon  every  Christian,  and  a  duty  adap- 
ted to  carry  a  rich  benefit  along  with  its  dis- 
charge, but  it  is  equally  evident  that  union  im 
PRAYER  is  at  once  commanded,  reasonable, 
and  delightful.  We  are  expressly  comniand- 
ed  to  pray  for  one  another :  James  v.  16  ;  and 
if  all  who  belong  to  Christ  are  "  one  body  in 
him,"  and  <•  members  one  of  another ;"  if, 
when  "  one  member  sulfers  all  the  members 
sutler  with  it,  and  when  one  member  rejoices 
all  the  members  rt-joice  with  it,"  it  follows 
that  all  who  really  belong  to  that  body  must 
and  will  deliglit  in  social  united  prayer ;  prayer 
in  which  the  llame  of  love,  kindling  from 
heart  to  heart,  shall  rise  to  the  mercy-seat 
with  a  brighter  and  warmer  atfection. 

Accordingly,  our  Master  m  heaven,  in  a  va- 
riety of  instances  in  his  word,  has  recognized 
both  the  duty  and  the  encouragement  of  this 
union  in  prayer  on  tlie  part  of  his  people.  "  I 
say  unto  you,  that  if  any  two  of  you  shall 
agree  on  earth,  touching  any  thing  that  they 
shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Fa- 
ther which  is  in  heaven."  Matt,  xviii.  19. 
And  not  only  have  we  this  explicit  promisVy 
but  the  example  of  such  prayers,  and  the  re- 
markable amccw*  with  which  they  were  crown- 


OP    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  11 

ed,  in  the  inspired  history,  are  as  numerous  as 
they  are  striking.     When  the  ancient  church 
was  threatened  with  destruction  by  the  con- 
spiracy of  wicked  Ilaman,  the  pious  Esther, 
being  warned  by  JNlordecai  of  the  impending 
danger,  sent  word  to  the  whole  body  of  the 
the  Jewish  people  within  her  reach,  to  spend 
three  days  in  fasting  and  united  supplication 
to  God  for  deliverance.     They  did  so  ;  and 
by  the  most  wonderful  dispensation  of  Provi- 
dence, they  were  delivered  from  the  power 
of  their  enemies.     When  Daniel  was  called 
upon  by  the  king  of  Babylon,  to  interpret  that 
king's  forgotten  dream,  he  engaged  a  number 
of  his  pious  friends  to  unite  with  him  in  pray- 
er, that  he  might  be  enabled  to  comply  with 
tlie  king's  requisition  ;  and,  in  consequence, 
that  was  revealed  to  him  which  all  the  wise 
men  and  astrologers  of  the  Babylonish  court 
sought    to  find  out  in  vain.      So  when  the 
prophet  Ezekiel  predicted  that  the  house  of 
Israel  was  "  about  to  be  cleansed  from  all  her 
iniquities  ;  to  have  lier  waste  places  built  up, 
and  her  ruins  to  become  like  the  garden  of 
Eden,"  he  subjoins  in  the  next  chapter,  *'  yet, 
thus  saith  the  Lord  :  I  will  be  enquired  of  by 
the  house  of  Israel  to  do  it  for  them."    Eze- 
kiel XXX vi.  37.     In  the  same  strain  does  the 


rj  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

propliet  Isaiah  call  upon  the  people  of  God  to 
be  importunate  in  praying  for  spiritual  mer- 
cies. "  Ye  that  make  mention  of  the  Lord, 
keep  not  silence,  and  give  him  no  rest  till  he 
establish,  and  till  he  make  Jerusalem  a  praise 
in  the  earth."  Isa.  Ixii.  7.  In  like  manner, 
when  the  Apostle  Peter  was  thrown  into  pri- 
son by  Herod,  the  bloody  tyrant,  unceasing 
prayer  wiis  made  by  the  church  for  his  deliv- 
erance ;  and  while  they  were  actually  engaged 
in  supplications  on  his  behal!*,  he  was  mira- 
culously brouirht  out  of  prison,  and  haj)pily 
conducted  to  the  very  place  where  his  friends 
were  assembled  and  engaged  in  interceding 
for  him.  Acts  xii.  It  was  evidently  in  an- 
swer to  extraordinary  and  united  prayer,  that 
the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  were  made  vic- 
torious over  the  army  ol"  Amalek.  It  was  in 
answer  to  extraordinary  and  united  prayer, 
that  the  inunense  army  of  the  proud  king  of 
Assyria,  which  threatened  the  destruction  of 
God's  people  in  the  days  of  Ilezekiah,  was 
destroyed  in  a  single  night.  It  is  declared  by 
the  prophets  Jeremiah  and  Duniel,  to  have 
been  in  answer  to  extraordinary  and  united 
prayer  that  (lod's  ancient  pcoi)le  were  reMor- 
ed  from  the  Babylonish  captivity  to  their  own 
land.     And  it  is  equally  evident  that  it  was 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  13 

in  answer  to  special  and  united  prayer,  in 
conformity  with  the  Saviour's  command,  that, 
after  tarrying  in  Jerusalem  a  number  of  days, 
and  spending  their  time  in  fervent  suppUca- 
tion  for  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  poured  out  upon 
them  from  on  high,  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
brought  enlargement  and  glory  on  the  perse- 
cuted and  struggling  church. 

It  was  a  deep  conviction  of  the  reality  and 
importance  of  these  considerations  which  led 
to  the  commencement  of  that  Concert  in 
Prayer  on  the  first  Monday  of  every  month, 
which  lias  been  so  long  observed  by  a  large 
portion  of  the  Protestant  churches  in  this  comi- 
try  and  in  Europe,  and  which  it  is  a  leading 
object  of  these  pages  to  recommend  to  the  at- 
tention and  observance  of  those  who  profess 
to  love  the  Redeemer's  kingdom. 

This  plan  of  stated  union  in  prayer  for  the 
revival  of  religion,  and  for  tlie  spread  of  the 
gospel,  was  commenced  in  the  Church  of  Scot- 
laud,  almost  exactly  one  hundred  years  ago. 

In  the  month,  of  October,  1744,  a  number 
of  ministers  in  Scotland,  taking-into  considera- 
tion the  state  of  God's  church,  and  of  the  world 
of  mankind,  "  did  judge  that  the  Providence 
of  God,  at  such  a  day,  loudly  called  such  as 

were  concerned  for  the  welfare  of  Zion  to 

2 


14  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

united  and  extraordinary  supplications  to  the 
God  of  all  grace,  suitably  acknowledging  him 
as  tlie  fountain  of  all  spiritual  benefits  and 
blessings  in  his  church  ;  and  earnestly  beseech- 
ing him  that  he  would  appear  in  his  glory, 
and  favour  Zion,  and  manifest  his  compassion 
to  the  world  of  mankuid  by  an  abundant  ef- 
fusion of  his  Holy  Spirit  on  all  the  churches  ; 
that  he  would  revive  true  religion  in  all.  parts 
of  Christendom ;  that  he  would  bless  all  na- 
tions with  the  li^ht  of  the  gospel,  and  fill  the 
whole  earth  with  his  glory." 

The  authors  of  this  plan,  after  seeking  by 
prayer  for  divine  direction,  determined  on  the 
following  method  of  carrying  it  into  elTect, 
viz  :  ^'  To  set  apart  such  time  on  Saturday 
evening  and  Sabbath  morning,  every  week, 
for  the  purpose  before  stated,  as  other  duties 
might  allow  ;  and,  more  solemnly,  the  first 
Tuesday  of  each  (juarter,  (beginning  with  the 
first  Tuesday  of  November  then  next  ensu- 
ing), either  the  whole  day,  or  part  of  the  day, 
as  persons  might  find  themselves  disposed,  or 
think  their  circumstances  would  allow ;  the 
time  to  be  spent  rithcr  in  private  ]>raying  so- 
cieties, or  in  })ubHc  meetings,  or  alone  in  se- 
cret, as  should  be  found  most  jjracticable,  or 
judged  most  couvcuient,  by  sucli  as  were 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  15 

willing  to  join  in  this  service.  It  was  ex- 
pressly understood  by  those  who  entered  into 
this  agreement,  that  they  were  not  to  consider 
themselves  as  rigorously  bound  to  the  particu- 
lar days  or  hours  specified,  whatever  their  cir- 
cumstances at  the  time  might  be;  nor  yet  to 
regard  those  days  as  holy,  or  set  apart  by  di- 
vine authority;  but  that  specified  seasons 
should  be  agreed  upon,  chiefly  for  the  pur- 
pose of  guarding  against  that  indolence  and 
forgetfulness  to  which  all  are  so  prone,  and 
securing  that  concurrence  and  union  in  the  di- 
vine exercise,  which  are  so  adapted  to  warm 
the  heart,  and  to  enlist  the  social  principle  in 
the  best  of  all  causes." 

This  original  agreement  was  limited  to  two 
years.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  it  was 
agreed  to  continue  it  for  seven  years  longer. 
In  the  mean  time,  so  many  praying  associa- 
tions were  formed,  and  such  a  spirit  of  pray- 
er for  the  effusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  was 
excited  and  extended  in  various  parts  of  Scot- 
land, that  the  friends  of  religion  were  more 
and  more  satisfied  that  their  agreement  was 
both  wise  and  useful.  Nor  was  this  pious 
union  long  confined  to  Scotland.  A  large 
body  of  ministers  in  New  England  concurred 
in  the  measure,  and,  among  the  rest,  the  ven- 


16  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVAIffCE 

/erable  Mr.  Edwards,  then  of  NorllKimpton, 
'   in  Massachusetts,  afterwards  President  of  the 
College  of"  New  Jersey,  and  "  w+iose  praise 
is  in  all  the  churches,"  laboured  with  no  small 
diligence  and  zeal  to  recommend  and  promote 
the  plan.     There  is  reason  to  believe  that  this 
/    laudable  concert  in  devotion,  though  slow  in 
making  its  way,  and  though  sometimes  lan- 
^    guishing,  has  never   been  wholly  abandoned 
I    since  the  original  agreement. 
^       In  1 784,  soon  after  the  close  of  our  revolu- 
^     tionary  war,  this  union  in  prayer  received  a 
new  impulse,  and  commenced  a  new  progress. 
About   thi^  time,   also,  it   received   another 
modification,  as  to  time ;  being,  for  the  most 
part,  observed  only  once  in  each  month,  viz  : 
V    on  the  evening  of  the  lirst   Monday.      One 
church  after  another,  and  one  religious  de- 
nomination after  another,  not  only  in  the  Uni- 
ted States,  but  in  various  parts  of  Cliristen- 
dom,  fell  in  with  it,  until  we  may  safely  say, 
J     it  now  pervades  the  greater  part  of  the  evan- 
gelical world.     Even  in  Asia,  in  Africa,  and 
m  the  islands  of  the  sea,  when  the  first  Mon- 
day of  each  month  arrives,  the  voice  of  uni- 
ted prayer  is  heard,  ascending  to  tlie  King  ()f 
Zion,  bi.'seeching  him  to  pour  out  his  Spirit 
on  the  nations;  to  revive  Ins  work  where  the 


OP    THE    MONTHLr   CONCERT.  17 

gospel  is  enjoyed  ;  to  send  it  where  it  is  not ;  1 
and  to  hasten  the  conversion  of  a  fallen  world  X 
to  God.  ^ 

The  General  Assemblyof  our  church  has  not  "^ 
only  from  time  to  time  given  its  sanction  to  this  C 
monthly  observance,  but  has,  on  various  oc-  \ 
casions,  enjoined  attention,  to  it,  in  the  most 
earnest  and  solemn  manner  ;  and,  in  the  year 
1830,  observing  that  many  of  the  churches 
under  its  care  manifested  a  diminution  of  zeal 
and  punctuality  in  attending  upon  this  ser- 
vice, the  Assembly  issued  a  Pastoral  Letter, ' 
the  main  object  of  which  was  to  call  the  at- 
tention of  the  churches  to  this  important  con- 
cert in  prayer;  to  point  out  some  of  the  mis- 
takes into  which  many  have  fallen  respecting 
it ;  and  to  urge  renewed  and  solemn  attention  .-- 
to  it  on  the  part  of  all  the  churches.     It  is 
evident,  from  the  language  of  this  letter,  that 
the  Assembly  regarded  this  subject  as  one  of 
deep  interest,  and  that  they  considered  the 
falling  off  in  its  observance  of  which  they 
complained,  as  an  indication  of  the  spiritual 
state  of  the  church,  deeply  to  be  deplored. 
So  far,  then,  as  the  sanction  of  our  beloved 
church  can  go  in  regard  to  tliis  matter,  we 
have  it  expressed  in  all  its  length  and  breadth, 
and  in  all  its  deliberate  emphasis. 


18  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVAXCE 

A  few  years  later,  our  General  Assembly, 
observing  that  this  service  was  again  thinly 
attended,  by  many  ol'  oar  congregations,  on 
the  evening  of  a  week-day,  recommended  to 
such  of  our  churches  as  might  find  the  change 
convenient,  to  attend  upon  it  on  the  first  Sab- 
bath afternoon  of  every  month,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  securing  a  more  full  attendance.  Ac- 
cordingly, in  a  number  of  churches,  this  plan 
has  been  adopted.  Some  other  churches, 
while  they  yet  meet  for  prayer  on  the  first 
Monday  evening  of  every  month,  make  the 
pecuniary  collection  which  belongs  to  it,  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  preceding  Sabbath,  when 
larger  assemblies'are  ordinarily  in  attendance. 

Such  being  the  history  of  that  observance 
which  is  known  to  us  by  the  name  of  the 
•'  Monthly  Concert  in  Prayer,"  let  me  now, 
Christian  brethren,  call  your  attention  to  those 
considerations  which  ought  to  recommend  it 
to  your  serious  regard.  And  here,  let  me  ap- 
peal to  your  judgment  and  to  your  hearts, 
whether  it  is  easy  to  conceive  of  a  service 
more  reasonable  in  its  character,  invested  with 
more  interesting  and  attractive  attributes,  or 
more  adapted  to  address  itself  to  the  best  feel- 
ings of  the  people  of  God,  than  this?  I  am 
indeed  constrained  to  say,  that  it  has  often  ap- 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  19 

peared  wonderful  to  me  that,  on  the  monthly 
returns  of  this  season  of  united  prayer,  there 
should  not  be  more  feeling,  and  more  deep  in- 
terest directed  to  this  solemn  service.  Were 
we  left  to  calculate  what  might  be  expected 
from  the  nature  of  the  case,  we  should  be 
ready  to  say.  Surely,  on  the  return  of  this  sea- 
son, at  least  every  member  of  the  church  will 
be  found  in  his  seat,  uniting  in  the  common 
supplication.  Surely,  every  one  who  claims 
to  be  a  Christian,  will  be  seen  bowing  before 
the  throne  of  grace,  and  pleading  for  mercy 
to  the  church  and  the  world.  But  is  it  found 
in  experience  to  be  so  ?  Alas  !  would  that  it 
were  !  But  no  ;  in  many  cases  not  half,  and 
in  some  not  a  third  of  the  communicants  of 
our  churches  make  their  appearance  in  these 
exercises  of  special  devotion.  A  considera- 
ble number  of  those  who  are  never  absent 
from  their  seats  in  the  ordinary  services  of  the 
sanctuary  on  the  Lord's  day,  are  seldom  seen 
in  the  place  where  special  prayer  is  wont  to 
be  made  for  the  revival  of  religion,  and  the 
enlargement  of  the  kingdom  of  him,  v/hom 
they  profess  to  regard  as  the  Lord,  and  the 
only  hope  of  the  world.  How  shall  we  ac 
count  for  this  melancholy  fact  ?  Is  the  spirit 
which  bears  the  disciple  of  Christ  to  the  house 


20  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

of  God  on  the  holy  Sabbath,  a  difTercnt  spirit 
from  that  which  he  is  called  upon  to  exercise 
at  the  monthly  return  of  the  concert  in  pray- 
er lor  the  reviv^al  of  religion,  and  the  sjucad 
of  the  glorious  gospel  ?  This  will  hardly  be 
maintained.  How  shall  we  account  for  it,  then, 
that  so  many  professors  of  religion,  in  other  re- 
spects deemed  exemplary,  allow  themselves 
habitually  to  neglect  a  service  which  might 
be  expected  so  strongly  and  peculiarly  to  in- 
terest every  Christian  heart  ?  The  indication 
is,  undoubtedly,  anything  but  favorable  to  the 
Christian  character  of  such  individuals.  Those 
who  love  the  Saviour  will,  infallibly,  love  his 
kingdom ;  and  those  who  sincerely  love  liis 
kingdom,  will,  of  course,  take  an  interest  in 
its  prosperity  ;  will  be  disposed,  in  proportion 
to  the  sincerity  and  strength  of  their  atfection, 
to  pray  for  its  life  and  advancement,  and  to 
exert  themselves,  according  to  their  ability,  to 
promote  its  extension  How  then,  shall  we 
estimate  the  spiritual  character  of  those  who 
manifest  little  or  nothing  of  the  interest  and 
the  disposition  which  liave  been  described  ? 
They  are  certainly  wanting  in  one  of  the  best 
evidences  that  they  belong  to  the  kingdom  of 
Christ.  I  would  solemnly  and  atfectionatcly 
entreat  all  such  persons  to  examine  well  the 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  21 

hope  which  they  cherish,  that  they  really  be- 
long to  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer 
Let  none  say,  as  an  excuse  for  neglecting 
the  monthly  service  in  question,  that  it  is  a 
mere  human  appointment,  and  therefore  not 
obligatory  on  the  conscience  as  are  the  Chris- 
tian Sabbath,  and^he  divinely  appointed  or- 
dinances for  that  lioly  day.     True,  indeed,  it 
is  a  human  appointment  in  regard  to  the  time 
of  its  occurrence ;  but  so  are  all  the  lectures 
and  prayer  meetings  which  occur  on  any  of 
the  secular  evenings  of  the  week  ;  and  so  are 
the  special  services  preparatory  to  the  admin- 
istration of  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  are  ob- 
served without  scruple  in  a  large  number  of 
Christian  churches.      Bat  what  should   we 
think  of  any  one  professing  to  be  a  Christian, 
who  should  turn  his  back  on  these  services, 
however  much  esteemed  and  attended  upon 
by  his  fellow   professors,  under  the  pretext 
that  they  were  not  specifically  enjoined  in  the 
word  of  God  ?      Surely  we  should    regard 
such  an  one  as  giving  miserable  evidence  of 
Christian  character  ;  and  should  consider  his 
professed  reverence  for  the  word  of  God  and 
for  the  services  of  the  Sabbath,  as  a  hypo- 
critical cover  for  the  absence  of  all  spiritual 


22  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCB 

taiste,  and  of  all  real  concern  for  the  prosperi- 
ty of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom. 

But  the  })lea  of  not  having  an  express  di- 
vine warrant  for  the  observance  of  a  particu- 
lar stated  day,  at  the  beginning  of  every 
month,  to  unite  in  prayer,  for  the  revival  of 
religion,  and  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  is 
altogether  unfounded  and  delusive.  That  we 
are  bound  by  express  divine  authority,  to  pray 
without  ceasing  for  tliese  objects, is  abundant- 
ly evident  from  the  word  of  God,  in  passa- 
ges either  of  preceptor  example  almost  num- 
berless. That  we  are  bound,  not  merely  to 
pray  in  secret,  but  to  unite  whh  our  fellow- 
christians  in  interceding  for  the  prosperity  and 
enlargement  of  Zion,  is  equally  evident.  How 
frequently,  and  at  what  particular  times  and 
places,  they  shall  come  together  for  this  pur- 
pose, is  not,  indeed,  specifically  stated  by  di- 
vine authority,  but  iiuist  be  matter  of  volun- 
tary agreement  among  those  wlio  unite  in  the 
service.  The  great  duty  of  public  worship 
on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  may  be  plainly 
deduced  from  the  word  of  God  ;  but  how 
often,  and  at  what  hours  on  that  day,  the  con- 
gregations in  each  place  shall  assemble,  must 
of  necessity  be  left  in  each  congregation  to 
conventional   agreement,     liiii    if  it    bo  the 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  23 

duty  of  Christians  to  desire  and  pray  that  re- 
ligion may  be  revived,  and  the  world  con- 
verted to  God;  and  if  it  be  their  duty  to 
unite  in  praying  for  these  objects  ;  how  shall 
they  ever  statedly  come  together  without 
agreeing  on  some  time  and  place  for  that  pur- 
pose ?  And  does  this  voluntary  agreement 
as  to  the  time  and  place  for  the  performance 
of  a  commanded  duty,  destroy  its  character 
as  a  duty  ?  Surely,  it  were  unreasonable  to 
suppose  this.  But  when  such  a  union  is  ei- 
ther formally  or  tacitly  agreed  upon,  and  is 
afterwards  neglected  by  those  who  do  not  re- 
ally unite  in  this  service  in  any  other  social 
form,  or  at  any  other  time,  is  it  possible  to  ac- 
quit them  of  the  charge  of  turning  their  backs 
on  a  plain  and  obvious  Christian  obligation? 
Suppose  a  pastor  should  appoint  a  prayer 
meeting  to  be  held  on  some  secular  evening 
of  each  week,  by  such  of  the  people  of  his 
charge  as  chose  to  attend  upon  it,  for  promo- 
ting the  great  purposes  of  devotion  and  in- 
struction. Meetings  of  this  kind  actually 
exist  in  most  Presbyterian  churllies  in  which 
the  spirit  of  piety  has  any  place.  Now  sup- 
pose some  of  the  members  of  the  church 
should  never  make  their  appearance  at  these 
meetings,  and  should  speak  against  them  as 


24  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

uncommanded  will  worship.  What  would  be 
thought  of  their  Christian  character  ?  Would 
even  charity  herself  be  able  to  regard  them 
as  exemplary,  zealous,  healthful  Christians  ? 
I  need  not  wait  for  an  answer.  The  public 
voice,  even  of  the  world,  would  pronounce 
their  example  altogether  inconsistent  with 
their  profession,  and  utterly  unworthy  of  it. 
Bear  with  me,  then,  Christian  brethren,  if 
I  venture  to  expostulate  with  those  who  claim 
to  be  the  disciples  of  Christ,  and  yet  are  sel- 
dom or  never  seen  to  attend  on  this  solemn 
monthly  service,  observed  by  the  churches 
with  which  they  claim  to  be  connected.  Do 
you  profess  really  to  love  the  kingdom  of  the 
Redeemer  ?  Do  you  profess  to  believe  that 
the  human  race  is  in  a  lost  and  perishing  con- 
dition ;  that  there  is  no  salvation  but  in  Christ ; 
and  that  the  reception  of  His  religion  in  this 
world,  is  the  only  method  by  which  men  can 
be  made  happy  hero,  and  happy  forever  ?  If 
you  are  really  sincere  in  this  belief,  can  you 
refrain  from  fervent  prayer  that  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  may  prosper  and  be  gloriously  ex- 
tended ?  Clui  you  stand  aloof,  and  hold  your 
peace,  when  thousands  around  you  are  uni- 
ting their  supplications  for  the  spread  of  the 
gospel  ?     Can  you  hear  of  the  people  of  God 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  25 

assembling,  from  month  to  month,  in  your 
neighbourhood,  to  pray  for  this  object,  with- 
out feehng  an  incHnation  to  join  them  ?  Can 
you  receive  inteUigence,  from  time  to  time,  of 
the  darkness,  corruption,  and  misery,  of  a 
large  portion  of  our  race,  while  destitute  of 
the  gospel,  without  having  your  spirits  stirred 
within  you,  to  pray  and  labour  for  their  re- 
lief? If  you  can,  where  is  the  evidence  that 
you  love  the  Saviour  ?  Where  the  ground 
of  hope  that  you  have  any  "  part  or  lot"  in  his 
great  salvation  ? 

It  may,  indeed,  be  sometimes  inconvenient 
to  attend  on  this  monthly  service,  and  now 
and  then  highly  inconvenient ;  just  as  a  con- 
currence of  adverse  circumstances  may  occa- 
sionally render  it  difficult  to  reach  the  house 
of  God  on  the  Lord's  day.  Where  there  is 
little  taste  for  spiritual  things,  and  the  preva- 
lence of  a  cold,  worldly  spirit,  the  smallest 
difficulties  are  often  found  to  prevent  all  at- 
tendance. But  where  there  is  a  cordial  rel- 
ish for  the  service  of  the  sanctuary,  and  an 
ardent  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  wel- 
fare of  perishing  men,  ordinary  hindrances 
give  way,  and  the  desired  opportunity  is  at- 
tained and  enjoyed.     We  may  apply  here,  as 

well  as  in  a  multitude  of  temporal  thmgs,  the 

3 


26  LETTERS    OX    THE    OBSERVANCE 

old  proverb,  "  Where  there  is  a  will,  there 
is  a  way."  Aud  where  there  is  a  heart 
which  knows  any  thing  of  sincere  love  to 
Christ,  and  fervent  love  for  the  souls  of  men, 
this  way  will  generally  be  found  by  those 
who  have  bodily  health  and  strength  enough 
to  allow  of  their  enjoying  the  precious  privi- 
lege. 

Let  me  ask  those  who  are  seldom  seen  at 
the  monthly  prayer  meeting,  how  their  excu- 
ses will  appear  in  a  dying  hour,  and  at  a 
judgment  seat?  I  am  very  sure  that  many 
of  those  causes  which  are  now  admitted  as 
an  apology  for  staying  at  home,  or  devoting 
those  evenings  to  mammon  or  to  pleasure,  in. 
preference  to  attending  at  the  place  where 
"  prayer  is  wont  to  be  made,"  will  not  be  re- 
garded as  suflicient,  when  we  come  to  those 
honest  and  solemn  seasons  which  are  before 
us  all,  and  which  will  "  try  every  man's  work 
of  what  sort  it  is."  Then,  0  then,  it  will  be 
seen,  that  a  want  of  interest  in  the  service, 
was  the  real  and  chief  reason  of  the  absence 
of  multitudes ;  and  that  such  a  service  has, 
indeed,  little  attraction  for  those  who  have  no 
more  of  what  belongs  to  the  Christian,  than 
the  venerated  name. 

Do  you  forget,  my  beloved  friends,  that,  in 


OF    THE    MONTHLY     CONCERT.  27 

making  it  your  duty  to  pray  and  labour  with- 
out ceasing  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  and  for 
the  conversion  of  the  world  to  God,  the  great 
Head  of  the  church,  is  consulting  our  own 
good,  as  well  as  that  of  the  poor  heathen,  and 
of  all  those  destitute  portions  of  our  race  in 
behalf  of  whom  we  labour  and  pray  ?  But 
is  it  not  certainly  and  demonstrably  so  ?  Is 
not  love  to  God  and  love  to  man  the  sum  and 
substance  of  all  religion  ?  Is  not  everything 
which  serves  to  increase  and  strengthen  these 
affections,  conducive  to  our  own  peace,  to 
the  attainment  of  higher  evidence  that  we 
belong  to  Christ,  and,  of  course,  to  our  solid 
and  permanent  scriptural  enjoyment?  The 
truth  is,  the  less  our  hearts  are  occupied  about 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  the  less  our  atten- 
tion is  drawn  to  it ;  the  less  our  solicitude  for 
its  prosperity  and  enlargement ;  the  less  our 
sense  of  the  value  of  the  gospel,  which  will 
always  be  proportioned  to  our  sympathy  for 
those  who  have  it  not ;  the  less  religion,  of 
course,  we  have,  and,  consequently,  the  less 
our  enjoyment  of  it.  Surely,  then,  those  who 
neglect  the  stated  exercise  of  which  I  am 
speaking,  forget  their  own  mercies, and  wrong 
their  own  souls.  They  cannot  but  fail  of  that 
spiritual  enjoyment  which  is  so  truly  desira-: 


28  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

ble  and  precious  in  itself,  and  which  forms  so 
large  a  part  of  that  evidence  that  the  grace 
of  God  dwells  and  reigns  within  us,  and  is 
preparing  us  for  that  holy  and  happy  kingdom, 
in  which  ''  that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done 
away,  and  that  which  is  perfect  shall  come.'^ 
Do  you  desire,  then,  Christian  brethren,  to 
receive  a  benefit  from  time  to  time  in  your 
own  souls  ?  There  is  not  a  more  direct  me- 
thod of  making  this  attainment,  than  to  turn 
away  from  all  earthly  idols  to  the  cause  and  glo- 
ry of  Christ.  Do  you  wish  to  enter  more  deeply 
than  you  have  ever  yet  done,  into  the  interest 
and  glory  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom?  Would 
you  feel  more  for  the  wants  and  miseries  of 
your  fellow-men,  and  cherish  a  stronger  de- 
sire for  the  promotion  of  their  temporal  and 
eternal  happiness  ?  Then  embrace  every  op- 
portunity of  going  where  the  people  of  God 
are  assembled,  to  implore  a  blessing  on  the 
church  and  the  world.  There,  and  only  there 
may  you  expect  to  feel  your  hearts  warmed 
with  love  to  your  Master  in  heaven,  and  with 
love  to  his  people.  There,  and  there  only 
may  you  expect  the  llame  of  sanctified  afi'ec- 
tion  to  kindle  from  heart  to  heart,  and  to 
make  your  spirits  as  it  were  "  the.  chariot  of 
a  willing  people."     Alas !   if  the  professing 


OP    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  29 

people  of  God  could  be  made  to  feel  how 
much  spiritual  benefit  and  enjoyment  they 
deprive  themselves  of,  by  abstaining  from  that 
precious  union  in  prayer  for  the  extension  of 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  which  has  been  for 
so  many  centuries  the  practice  of  millions  of 
the  disciples  of  Christ  in  every  quarter  of  the 
globe — nay,  if  they  would  lay  to  heart  as  they 
ought,  that  their  neglect  of  the  precious  pri- 
vilege in  question,  and  of  similar  privile- 
ges, is  among  the  causes  of  their  leanness, 
their  spiritual  darkness,  and  their  retrogres- 
sion in  the  divine  life,  they  would  no  longer 
regard  this  neglect  as  a  small  affair  in  the  life 
of  a  traveller  to  the  Zion  above. 

It  is  common,  and  it  is  just  to  say,  that  no- 
thing done  for  Christ  is  ever  lost.  But  it  is 
equally  just  to  say,  that  nothing  done  with  a 
proper  spirit  for  ourselves  is  ever  lost.  Every 
sincere  attempt  to  perform  duty,  leaves  a  bles- 
sing behind  it  to  the  performer.  Every  throb 
of  gratitude  for  mercy,  as  it  were,  stamps  on 
the  soul  a  new  lineament  of  conformity  to 
God,  and  imparts  a  new  element  of  spiritual 
joy.  Every  prayer  in  which  we  cordially 
miite  with  the  people  of  God,  gives  a  new 
impulse  to  the  spiritual  life,  and  a  new  ardour 
to  the  vital  warmth.     They  who  forget  the 

3* 


30  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVA!TCE 

seasons  of  prayer,  and  the  assemblies  of  God's 
people,  shall  become  "  weaker  and  weaker;'' 
but  they  who  wait  on  the  Lord,  shall  "  renew 
their  strength ;"  shall  "  mount  up  on  wings 
as  eagles;  shall  run  and  not  be  weary  ;  shall 
walk  and  not  foint." 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  31 


LETTER  II. 

Hints  as  to  the  best  methods  of  conducting  the  Monthly 
Concert. 

Christian  Brethren :  In  the  preceding  letter, 
on  the  Monthly  Concert  in  prayer,  I  have  en- 
deavoured to  show  the  importance  of  that  ex- 
ercise ;  its  value  as  a  means  of  grace ;  and 
how  much  it  is  to  be  lamented  that  attendance 
upon  it  is  so  much  neglected  by  many  profes- 
sors of  religion,  belonging  to  those  denomina- 
tions which  acknowledge  the  general  duty  of 
paying  respect  to  it.  This  neglect  was  traced 
to  a  declining  state  of  religion  in  the  individu- 
als who  indulge  it,  or  to  erroneous  views  of 
the  character  and  claims  of  the  exercise.  But 
it  is  probable  that  the  entire  blame  in  relation 
to  this  matter  ought  not  to  be  laid  at  the  door 
of  private  members  of  our  churches.  13  o 
our  Pastors  in  all  cases  conduct  this  exercise  p 
in  a  manner  calculated  to  attract  and  interest 
those  who  attend  upon  it  ?  Thin  assemblies 
on  the  Lord's  day,  in  many  of  our  places  of 
worship,  are,  doubtless,  to  be  ascribed  to  the 


32  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

want  of  attraction  on  the  part  of  the  officia- 
ting ministers.  Can  it  be  any  marvel,  then, 
if,  when  the  monthly  exercise  of  which  we 
speak  fails  to  secure  that  large  and  general  at- 
tendance which  its  nature  demands,  we  should 
feel  constrained  to  lay  at  least  a  portion  of  the 
blame  at  the  door  of  pastors,  who  will  not 
take  the  pains  to  engage  in  it  the  attention 
and  the  hearts  of  their  people  ?  So  far  from 
such  a  supposition  being  improbable  or  mar- 
vellous, it  would  seem  that  nothing  can  be 
more  natural  or  consistent  with  the  strictest 
justice. 

When  I  have  gone  to  the  house  of  God,  at 
the  beginning  of  each  month,  and  have  there 
found  assembled  three  or  four  dozen  hearers, 
out  of,  perhaps,  three  or  four  hundred  com- 
municants ;  when  I  have  seen  every  thing 
wearing  the  aspect  of  chilling  coldness ;  the 
prayers  formal,  dull,  and  full  of  vain  and  spir- 
itless repetition;  the  pastor  manifesting  no 
zeal,  and  giving  no  information  respecting 
tlie  cause  of  missions,  or  the  advancement  of 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom  ;  and  nothing  adapt- 
ed to  enlighten,  to  warm,  or  to  edify, — I  have 
felt  as  if  it  was  impossible  to  wonder  that  the 
attendance  was  so  small,  or  that  those  who 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  33 

did  attend  seemed  to  look  and  feel  as  if  they 
should  care  but  little  ever  to  attend  again. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  greatest  faults  in  such  -^ 
meetings,  as  now  too  often  conducted,  is  their  S 
continual  dull  sameness.  We  are  commonly  ~ 
called  to  unite  in  a  succession  of  prayers, 
comprising  the  same  topics,  couched  in  the 
same  or  similar  terms,  and  adapted  to  confine 
the  minds  of  those  who  join  in  them  to  a 
narrow  field  of  desires  and  requests.  We 
justly  regard  it  as  one  of  the  advantages 
which  we,  as  Presbyterians,  enjoy,  that  we 
are  not  confined  to  a  liturgy,  but  are  at  liber- 
ty to  enlarge  and  diversify  our  plan  of  social 
prayer,  so  as  to  accommodate  it  to  the  vari- 
ous circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed. 
There  is  a  love  of  variety  inherent  in  our  na- 
ture, which  may  not  be,  in  all  cases,  unhal- 
lowed, and  which,  undoubtedly,  ought  to  be, to 
some  extent,  consulted  and  gratified.  That  this 
principle  is  not  sufficiently  remembered  and 
consulted  in  conducting  the  monthly  concert  in 
prayer,  has,  no  doubt,  been  often  lamented  by 
most  of  those  intelligent  Christians  who  have 
had  frequent  opportunities  of  attending  on  its 
exercises.  Of  course,  the  introduction  of  an 
improvement  in  these  exercises,  in  this  re- 


34  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

spect,  would  add  materially  to  their  attraction 
and  their  usefulness. 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  the  objects  of 
prayer  contemplated  by  the  original  proposers 
and  founders  of  this  monthly  service  are 
many,  and  highly  interesting.  They  are  such 
as  these 

Giving  thanks  that,  while  unnumbered  mil- 
lions of  our  fellow-men  are  destitute  of  the 
gospel  we  are  favoured  with  it,  in  all  its  fulness 
and  glory  ;  beseeching  that  the  kingdom  of 
God  may  come — that  every  obstacle  to  the 
spread  of  the  gospel  may  be  taken  out  of  the 
way ;  that  more  labourers  may  be  raised  up, 
properly  qualified,  and  sent  forth  into  the  great 
liarvest ;  that  the  labourers  already  in  the  held 
may  be  protected  and  strengthened,  and  made 
to  speak  boldly  as  they  ought  to  speak  ;  and 
that  the  word  of  the  Lord  proclaimed  by 
them  may  have  free  course  and  be  glorified ; 
that  the  beloved  brethren  and  sisters  who  have 
left  homes  as  dear  to  them  as  ours  can  be,  for 
the  sake  of  bearing  the  word  of  life  to  the 
benighted  pagans,  may  be  inspired  with  wis- 
dom, and  girded  with  strength,  aided  in  every 
diliiculty,  and  comforted  in  all  their  sorrows; 
that  the  millions  throughout  the  world  wlio 
have  never  heard  the  glad  tidings  of  salva- 


OP    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  35 

tion,  may  have  them  preached  to  them  in  pu- 
rity and  power ;  that  those  who  have  the  di- 
rection and  management  of  selecting  and  send- 
ing forth  missionaries,  and  of  providing  means 
for  their  support,  may  be  counselled  and  gui- 
ded, and  their  work  crowned  with  abundant 
success  ;  in  particular,  that  the  Boards  of  our 
beloved  church,  entrusted  with  the  great  work 
of  training  candidates  for  the  holy  ministry, 
and  afterwards  sending  them  forth  to  the  do- 
mestic and  foreign  field  of  labour,  may  be 
enlightened,  counselled,  and  prospered  in  all 
their  measures ;  that  the  schools  established 
among  the  heathen,  and  other  destitute  parts 
of  the  world,  for  training  up  children  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  may  be 
multiplied  and  greatly  prospered ;  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  may  reach  the  hearts  of  young 
and  old  among  those  who  are  sitting  in  the 
region  and  shadow  of  death  ;  that  those  who 
call  themselves  Christians  may  feel  their  ob- 
ligations to  send  theT  gospel  to  "  every  crea- 
ture" who  is  destitute  of  it ;  that  the  sleeping 
church  may  be  roused  to  a  sense  of  her  duty 
in  regard  to  this  great  concern  5  that  the  tri- 
umphs of  evangelical  truth  may  be  great  and 
glorious  wherever  it  is  sent ;  that  the  great 
Lord  of  the  harvest  would  go  with  his  min- 


36  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

istering  servants  wherever  they  go  to  preach 
his  blessed  gospel ;  that  the  pagan  heart  may 
be  everywhere  enlightened  and  soi'tencd,  and 
the  way  of  the  Lord  be  prepared  for  the 
spread  of  his  name  among  all  nations  ;  that 
religion  may  be  revived  in  all  our  churches ; 
that  wherever  the  gospel  is  preached,  at  home 
or  abroad,  it  may  take  a  saving  elTect  on  the 
hearts  of  men  ;  and  that  all  ends  of  the  earth 
may  see  the  salvation  of  God.  These  are 
among  the  great  and  precious  objects  of 
prayer  which  ought  to  fill  the  hearts,  and 
dwell  upon  the  lips  of  the  assembled  wor- 
shippers at  every  montlily  concert.  Here  is, 
surely,  matter  enough  for  enlarged,  rich,  and 
ever  varying  petitions.  Here  are  topics  suf- 
ficient in  number,  and  in  immeasurable  im- 
portance, to  occupy  the  fixed  attention  and 
the  absorbing  desires  and  zeal  of  every  Chris- 
tian. Surely,  wherever  there  is  a  spark  of 
love  to  the  Saviour,  or  to  the  souls  of  men, 
such  objects  as  these  canliot  leave  an  indiffer- 
ent heart. 

Many  seem  to  be  under  the  impression 
that  the  principal,  if  not  the  exclusive  object 
of  the  Monthly  Concert  is  to  pray  for  the 
spread  of  the  gospel  among  the  heathen  :  that 
the  revival  of  religion  among  our  churches 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  31 

at  home,  and  the  extension  and  success  of  do-  ^ 
mestic  missions,   though  confessedly  of  the    j 
highest  importance,  are  not  intended  to  be^ 
made  prominent  objects  in  these  monthly  ex-/ 
ercises.   This  is  an  unhappy  mistake.   Every  f* 
thing  pertaining  to-  the  spread  of  the  gospel:  \ 
in  its  purity  and  power,  both  at  home  and   \ 
abroad  ;  the  success  of  this  precious  message 
of  mercy  where  it  is  already  proclaimed,  and 
its  speedy  and  effectual  diffusion  where  it  is 
not ;  and,  in  one  word,  imploring  the  divine 
blessing  upon  every  effort  for  bringing  our 
own  land,  and  all  other  lands,  into  subjection 
to  the  Spirit  of  Christ — are  all  appropriate  to 
this  season  of  prayer,  and  all,  evidently,  en- 
tered into  the  plan  of  those  who  originally 
proposed  it. 

Not  that  all  these  topics  are  to  be  consid- 
ered as  essentially  making  a  part  of  every 
prayer  offered  up  at  the  monthly  concert ;  but 
that  the  objects  contemplated,  and  the  topics 
of  petition  employed,  on  such  occasions,  are 
such  as  have  been  mentioned,  and  are,  of 
course,  various,  grand  and  interesting  in  a 
high  degree,  and  such  as  may  well  engage 
the  whole  hearts  of  all  who  love  the  Saviour 
and  his  cause.     Who  would  not  expect  that 

an  occasion  when  such  objects  as  these  are 

4 


SB  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

appointed  to  claim  the  attention  and  the  pray- 
ers of  an  assembly  of  Christian  men  and  wo- 
men, would  prove  an  occasion  of  peculiar  so- 
lemnity, and  draw  to  it  every  heart  that  had 
the  smallest  desire  for  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  happiness  of  man  ? 

What  means,  then,  ought  to  he  taken  by 
every  pastor  to  render  this  occasion  in  the 
highest  degree  interesting  and  profitable,  both 
to  himself  and  to  the  people  of  his  charge  ? 
I  answer, — let  him,  first  of  all,  by  meditation 
and  prayer,  labour  to  keep  his  own  mind  in 
a  state  of  lively  interest  in  regard  to  this 
great  subject.  To  this  end,  let  him,  through 
the  whole  of  the  preceding  month,  labour  to 
keep  awake  and  on  the  inquiry  for  every 
kind  of  missionary  information  adai)ted  to 
engage,  instruct,  and  edify  the  Christian  peo- 
ple. Let  him  gather  from  every  channel  of 
public  intelligence,  everything  bearing  on  the 
state  of  the  heathen  world,  and  on  the  condi- 
tion of  all  the  dark  and  destitute  places  of  the 
earth,  whether  in  our  land  or  elsewhere ; 
every  thing  adapted  to  give  the  people  of  liis 
charge  a  distinct  and  strong  impression  of  the 
real  situation  of  those  who  are  without  a 
knowledge  of  the  gospel — their  blindness, 
their  vices,  their  misery,  and  their  prospects 


OF    THE    MONTHLT    CONCERT.  39 

for  eternity.  Let  him  collect  and  exhibit,  in 
the  most  clear  and  lively  manner  that  he  is 
able,  the  recent  intelligence  from  the  missiona- 
ry field — the  new  plans  and  efforts  of  mis- 
sionary associations — the  glad  tidings  of  their 
success,  or  the  mournful  information  of  their 
failure.  Let  him  be  laying  up  in  store,  for 
the  whole  preceding  month,  for  this  solemn 
occasion.  Thus  beginning,  the  moment  one 
such  occasion  is  over,  to  prepare  for  another. 
Let  him  carefully  make  a  written  memoran- 
dum of  every  particular ;  and  be  prepared, 
when  the  time  for  the  meeting  arrives,  to 
make  as  lively  and  affecting  an  exhibition  of 
the  whole  as  possible  ;  not  by  reading  long 
and  tedious  articles,  as  is  sometimes  injudi- 
ciously done,  from  missionary  papers,  but  by 
presenting  a  rapid  outline — a  condensed  syn- 
opsis of  what  has  been  doing  for  the  whole 
month,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  keep  up  and 
reward  the  attention  of  an  audience  for  twen- 
ty-five minutes,  or,  at  the  utmost,  half  an  hour 
at  a  time. 

How  can  a  minister  and  his  people  be  ex^ 
pected  to  feel  aright,  or  to  pray  aright,  if  they 
do  not  know  the  state  of  the  missionary  field, 
its  wants  and  its  difficulties,  as  well  as  the 
signal  blessings,  on  the  one  hand,  with  which 


40  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

it  has  pleased  the  God  of  grace  to  favour  it, 
and  on  the  other,  the  adversities  with  which 
he  has  seen  fit,  in  his  sovereign  wisdom,  to 
visit  it  ?  A  pious  minister  was  once  observed 
by  a  Christian  friend,  during  a  period  of  re- 
markable public  anxiety  and  trouble,  to  be 
peculiarly  intent  on  reading  the  public  papers, 
secular  as  well  as  religious.  Upon  being 
asked  why  he  was  so  much  employed  in  this 
manner,  he  replied,  "  I  do  it  that  I  may  know 
how  to  pray."  The  answer  was  a  wise  one. 
Every  line  of  important  information  that  he 
read,  was  an  additional  guide  in  imploring 
those  blessings  which  were  needed  by  the 
church  and  by  the  world. 

But  while  the  pastor  is  careful,  in  every 
service  of  tliis  kind,  to  give  rich  information 
to  his  audience  respecting  the  state  of  the 
missionary  field;  while  he  considers  and 
treats  this  as  a  primary  object  of  the  monthly 
exercise,  let  it  not  be  forgotten  that  prayer 
forms  a  prominent  and  vital  part  of  the  whole 
service.  Its  name  imports  no  less  ;  and  its 
object  is  equally  decisive  in  calling  for  a  pre- 
dominance of  that  clement.  Let  no  plan, 
then,  for  its  manaa^emont,  be  suffered  to  shut 
out,  or  even  to  abridi^e  the  proper  amount  of 
prayer.     Let  there  be  generally  tlirec  prayers, 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  41 

and  never  less  than  two.  And  let  there  be 
an  endeavour  to  have  these  strictly  appropri- 
ate, from  beginning  to  end.  There  is  often  a 
great  lack  of  this  character  in  the  prayers  in 
which  we  are  called  to  join  in  the  service  be- 
fore us.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  hear  those 
who  lead  in  it  employing  a  large  part  of  their 
time  in  common-place  topics,  in  general  and 
extended  confession  of  sin,  and  in  a  minute 
detail  of  thanksgiving  for  the  common  mer- 
cies of  providence  as  well  as  of  grace.  The 
consequence  is,  either  that  those  parts  of  their 
prayers  which  belong  to  the  occasion  are 
crowded  into  the  latter  part  of  the  exercise, 
and  hurried  over  in  too  hasty  and  superficial 
a  manner ;  or  that  the  successive  prayers  are 
so  inordinately  protracted  as  to  become  te- 
dious, and  to  extend  the  whole  service  to  an 
inconvenient  length.  The  prayers  on  such  / 
occasions  ought  seldom,  very  seldom,  to  ex- 
ceed seven  or  eight  minutes  each,  especially 
when  there  are  more  than  two.  And  I  know 
of  no  better  method  of  securing  the  proper 
brevity  in  our  social  prayers,  than  that  of'-^^ 
charging  ourselves  to  be  strictly  appropriate  y  ^''' 
to  the  occasion,  from  the  first  sentence.  If 
this  plan  were  adopted,  we  should  be  better 
able  to  judge  of  the  length  of  our  own  pray- 

4* 


42  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

ers,  and  be  much  more  seldom  led  away  by 
those  endless  repetitions  and  wanderings  of 
request,  which,  though  good  and  edifying  in 
themselves,  do  not  properly  belong  to  the  oc- 
casion. How  much  more  suitable  and  happy, 
when  all  the  prayers  are  truly  appropriate  ; 
and  when,  (as  all  that  is  appropriate  cannot 
be  comprised  in  any  one  prayer,)  those  who 
succeed  each  other  are  careful  to  take  up  and 
present  what  those  who  went  before  omitted, 
so  as  to  exhibit  something  like  a  comprehen- 
sive view  of  all  the  subjects  of  petition  that 
ought  to  be  brought  forward  in  the  whole  ex- 
ercise. 

And  here  it  may  not  be  improper  to  sug- 
gest what  I  have  often  thought  worthy  of 
more  consideration  than  it  has  commonly  re- 
ceived. No  one  can  be  more  friendly  to  the 
practice  of  inviting  the  lay  members  of  our 
churches  to  take  the  lead  in  social  prayer  than 
the  writer  of  these  lines.  Such  a  practice  is 
adapted  to  dilfuse  a  spirit  of  prayer  more 
widely  in  the  church,  and  to  cause  a  spirit  of 
more  active  zeal  in  conducting  the  affairs  of 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  to  take  a  firmer 
hold  of  the  professors  of  religion  than  they 
would  be  apt  otherwise  to  possess.  Thero  is 
nmch  in  llic  principle  of  employing  men  in 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  43 

the  service  of  Zion — giving  them  something 
to  do,  if  we  would  engage  them  to  take  a  deep 
and  practical  interest  in  her  affairs.  But 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  has  been 
sometimes  done  prematurely  and  uuAvisely. 
In  some  congregations  it  is  not  unusual  to  call 
upon  young  and  inexperienced  converts  to 
take  the  lead  in  prayer,  in  social  meetings,  in 
less  than  a  week,  sometimes  even  in  forty- 
eight  hours  after  they  have  been  hopefully 
brought  into  the  kingdom  of  grace.  This  is 
neither  prudent  nor  safe.  It  is  introducing 
into  the  place  of  a  leader  and  guide  in  sacred 
things,  one  whose  knowledge  is  small  and 
crude,  who  has  no  suitable  experience,  and 
who  may  give  utterance  to  that  which  is  not 
"  good  to  the  use  of  edifying."  And  if  it  be 
not  productive  of  this  painful  effect,  it  may 
result  in  injury  to  the  individual  himself;  it 
may  become  the  means  of  '^puffing  up"  a 
"novice"  so  soon  called  into  public  view. 

That  the  intelligent  and  warm-hearted  con- 
verts to  experimental  religion  among  the  laity 
ought,  as  before  stated,  to  be  trained  gradu- 
ally and  discreetly  to  the  work  of  leading  in 
social  prayer,  there  can  be  no  doubt.  But  let 
a  moderate  and  reasonable  time  elapse,  after 
they  are  united  to  the  church,  before  they  are 


44  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERV^ANCE 

called  upon  to  take  a  part  in  this  service.  Let 
them  not  be  called  so  publicly  into  the  view 
of  tlie  religious  community,  until  their  reli- 
gious knowledge  is  more  mature,  and  their 
new  character,  as  professors  of  religion,  bet- 
ter known  and  established.  And  even  then, 
let  them  be  first  called  upon  for  this  service 
in  the  smaller  and  more  private  meetings  for 
prayer,  that  they  may,  by  little  and  little, gain 
the  confidence  and  self-possession,  and  form 
the  habit  necessary  to  an  edifying  performance 
of  such  a  duty. 

It  has  appeared  to  the  writer  of  these  lines 
that  frequently  by  far  too  little  sound  discre- 
tion is  exercised  in  selecting  persons  to  lead 
in  prayer  in  the  monthly  exercises  now  im- 
der  consideration.  In  an  exercise  so  impor- 
tant to  the  interests  of  religion,  on  which  so 
much  depends,  and  in  regard  to  which  every 
etlbrt  ought  to  be  made  to  conduct  it  in  an  im- 
pressive and  edifying  manner,  surely  those 
who  are  not  qualified  thus  to  appear,  wlio 
have  little  eitiier  of  the  gift  or  the  spirit  of 
prayer,  ought  to  be  invited  to  take  a  leading 
part  as  seldom  as  possible.  The  object  of  in- 
viting any  to  take  such  a  part  is,  not  to  pay  a 
compliment,  not  to  minister  to  personal  vani- 
ty, but  to  edify  the  church  of  God,  to  promote 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  45 

that  great  cause  which  the  whole  service  is 
intended  to  subserve — the  diffusion  of  a  spirit 
of  love  to  the  Redeemer,  and  of  zeal  for  the 
extension   of   his   kingdom   throughout   the 
world.     Can  it  be  necessary  to  employ  argu- 
ment to  prove  that  every  instrumentality  em-^ 
ployed  on  such  an  occasion,  when  a  portion 
of  the  worldly  as  well  as  of  the  pious  may  be 
assembled,  ought  to  be  well  adapted  to  an- 
swer its  great  end  ?     It  is  true,  indeed,  that, 
with  respect  to  all  the  means  which  we  use, 
our  sole  reliance  ought  to  be  on  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  vouchsafed  to  render  them 
effectual;  still,   in   spiritual,  as   in   temporal 
things,  "  wisdom  is  profitable  to  direct,"  and 
our  constant  aim  ought  to  be,  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, to  make  use  of  those  means  only  which 
are  adapted  to  promote  the  great  purpose  in 
view.  ' 

From  all  that  has  been  said,  it  is  easy  to  see 
what  a  weight  of  responsibility  rests  on  every 
pastor  in  conducting  this  monthly  service  in 
such  a  manner  as  shall  tend  most  efiectually 
to  answer  its  great  end.  What  a  precious  op- 
portunity it  affords  for  calling  the  attention  of 
his  flock,  twelve  times  a  year,  to  the  great 
duty  and  the  appointed  means  of  converting 
the  world  to  God  ;   keeping  them  constantly 


46  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

and  faithfully  informed  of  the  state  and  the 
wants  of  the  missionary  field  ;  leading  them 
to  the  throne  of  grace  to  implore  a  blessing 
on  that  field  ;  and  stirring  them  up,  by  all  the 
means  of  argument,  expostulation  and  en- 
treaty in  his  power,  to  a  faithful  discharge  of 
their  duty  in  causing  the  gospel  to  be  sent  to 
every  creature. 

Perhaps  it  will  be  said,  that  if  the  monthly 
prayer  meeting  be  a  matter  of  so  much  con- 
sequence, if  it  bring  with  it  so  much  duty, 
and  ought  to  be  prepared  for  with  so  much 
care ;  then,  instead  of  being  regarded,  as  it 
too  often  is,  as  a  sort  of  bye-business,  which 
may  be  dispatched  without  material  prepara- 
tion, it  must  in  reality  prove  one  of  the  most 
laborious  services  in  the  whole  month.  This 
consequence  is  not  denied.  It  ought  indeed 
to  be  so  regarded,  and  every  ellbrt  made  to 
render  it  the  most  instructive,  the  most  thril- 
ling, the  most  solemn  exercise  during  the 
month.  And  can  any  faitliful  pastor,  any  one 
who  loves  his  Master  in  heaven  and  the  souls 
of  men,  be  unwilling  to  meet  such  an  exer- 
cise, and  to  make  all  the  preparation  for  it  in 
his  power  ?  Can  any  service,  during  any  ordi- 
nary month,  be  more  precious,  or  more  wor- 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  47 

thy  of  employing  all  the  time,  and  all  the  la- 
bour which  can  be  bestowed  upon  it  ? 

The  complaint,  that  the  monthly  prayer 
meeting  is  not  well  attended  in  most  of  our 
churches,  is,  as  before  observed,  an  old  com- 
plaint, and  I  would  that  we  could  say  it  is  not 
well  founded.  In  many  cases,  not  one  half, 
nay,  sometimes  not  one  quarter  part,  even  of 
the  communicants  are  present ;  and,  in  gene- 
ral, very  few  indeed  of  those  who  are  not 
church  members,  ever  think  of  attending,  un- 
less it  takes  place  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
Lord's  day.  And,  in  truth,  this  was  pro- 
bably the  main  reason  for  the  recommenda- 
tion issued  by  our  General  Assembly  a  few 
years  since,  to  transfer  the  observance  from 
the  evening  of  the  first  Monday  of  each 
month,  to  the  afternoon  of  the  first  Sabbath. 
Until  this  transfer  was  adopted,  only  a  small 
portion  of  our  congregations  were  usually 
present  at  this  service,  and  of  course  only  a 
small  part  contributed  to  the  pecuniary  col- 
lection commonly  made  in  connection  with 
the  service.  But  is  it  probable  that,  if  the 
service  itself  were  made  what  it  ought  to  be, 
if  indefatigable  pains  were  taken  to  render  it 
the  most  instructive,  interesting  and  deeply 
exciting  service  in  the  whole  month,  that  it 


46  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

would  be  thus  neglected  ?  There  would  be 
no  risk  in  answering  this  question  with  the 
most  decisive  negative.  No,  the  moment  it 
ceased  to  be  the  heavy,  monotonous,  com- 
mon-place exercise  which  we  too  commonly 
find  it,  it  would  draw  the  earnest  attention, 
and  the  full  assembly  which  generally  follow 
ministrations  of  an  elevated  character.  If 
every  member  of  each  congregation  wore 
taught  by  experience  to  expect  to  find  this 
service  rich  in  information,  animating  in 
Christian  duty,  and  in  every  respect  adapted 
to  promote  Christian  edification,  can  any  one 
doubt  that  it  would  be  well  attended  ?  The 
writer  of  tliese  lines  would  be  very  far  from 
encouraging  in  any  minister  of  the  gospel  the 
indulgence  of  a  spirit  of  indolence  for  a  mo- 
ment, in  any  service  ;  but  he  would  say,  with 
deliberate  solemnity,  if  such  a  spirit  be  ever 
indulged,  let  it  not  be  at  the  monthly  concert 
in  i)rayer,  wlicn  his  own  soul,  and  the  souls 
of  all  who  liear  him,  ought  to  be  led  out  of 
themselves  to  the  largest  concern  for  the  king- 
dom of  tlie  Redeemer ;  when  the  desolations 
of  fallen  man  rise  in  solenm  array  before  liis 
mind  ;  when  the  wants  and  miseries  of  our 
lost  world  ought,  with  concentrated  and  unu- 
sual force,  to  move  every  heart ;  and  when 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  49 

every  feeling  of  love  to  the  Master  who  died 
for  us,  and  to  the  souls  of  perishing  men, 
ought  to  fill  the  heart  of  every  listening  at- 
tendant with  peculiar  and  unwonted  sympa- 
thy, and  the  most  fervent  zeal  for  sending  to 
them  the  only  cure  for  their  misery. 

Nor  is  it  difficult,  in  a  variety  of  ways,  to 
draw  the  special  attention  of  a  Christian 
flock  to  this  monthly  service.  Let  not  only  a 
specific  notice  of  it  be  given  on  the  preceding 
Sabbath,  if  it  be  observed  on  Monday  eve- 
ning, or  in  the  morning  of  the  day,  if  ob- 
served on  Sabbath  afternoon  ;  but  let  the  no- 
tice be  couched  in  such  language,  accompa- 
nied with  a  sentence  or  two  of  such  brief  and 
comprehensive  remarks,  and  preceded  or  fol- 
lowed by  such  pointed  prayers  as  may  be 
adapted  to  rouse  the  attention,  and,  in  some 
measure,  touch  the  feelings  of  every  hearer. 

Let  the  pastor  encourage  all  who  attend  on 
this  service  to  bring  their  children  with  them. 
Is  it  not  desirable  that  our  children,  from 
their  earliest  years,  should  be  habituated  to 
the  company  and  the  language  of  prayer,  and 
that  they  should  be  accustomed  to  the  work 
of  contributing  something  of  their  little  sav- 
ings for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  "  per- 
ishing for  lack  of  vision?"     If  we  ever  ex- 

5 


50  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

pect  them  to  feel  right  on  this  subject,  we  can- 
not begin  too  early  to  imbue  their  minds  with 
benevolent  sentiments,  and  to  teach  them  to 
feel  what  it  will  be  their  duty  to  practice  when 
they  reach  mature  age.  0  how  large  a  por- 
tion of  Christian  parents  are  deplorably  de- 
linquent in  this,  one  of  the  primary  elements 
of  Christian  education — leading  their  child- 
ren to  a  throne  of  grace,  and  to  the  house  of 
God,  and  leading  them  also  early,  by  the  uni- 
ted force  of  precept  and  example,  to  remem- 
ber that,  young  as  they  are,  they  are  debtors, 
deep  debtors,  to  the  kingdom  of  that  Saviour 
in  whose  name  they  have  been  baptized. 

When  shall  we  have  monthly  concerts  con- 
ducted in  the  spirit  of  these  suggestions  ? 
When  shall  we  see  them  bearing  a  character 
which  shall  warm  the  pastor's  own  heart, 
draw  around  him  the  mass  of  his  stated  hear- 
ers, as  well  as  of  liis  church  members,  and 
constitute  a  little  monthly  era  among  his  peo- 
ple ?  When  that  period  shall  arrive,  it  will 
mark  a  season  of  prosperity  and  joy  in  the 
church.  It  will  be  both  the  clfect  and  the 
cause  of  better  days,  and  will  mark  the  pur- 
pose of  our  covenant  God  to  have  mercy  on 
Zion.  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  0  come  quickly, thus 
to  bless  our  lialf  awake  and  struggling  church  I 


OP    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  51 


LETTER  III. 

The  duty  of  connecting  Contributions  with  Prayer. 

Christian  Brethren  :  As  the  Month^  Prayer 
Meeting  is  an  observance  devoted  to  the  great 
interests  of  the  revival  of  reHgion,the  spread 
of  the  gospel,  and  the  conversion  of  the  world 
to  God,  it  must,  of  course,  be  considered  as 
standing  in  close  connection  with  every  thing 
that  is  necessary  to  the  great  work  of  evan- 
geUzing  the  population  of  our  globe,  and 
preaching  the  gospel  to  every  creature. 
Among  these  it  is  evident  that  contribu- 
tions for  sustaining  the  expense  of  missions 
must  ever  be  comprehended.  This  accom- 
paniment of  the  exercise,  is,  by  many  church- 
es, wholly  omitted.  This  omission,  however, 
ought  never  to  be  allowed.  Prayer  and  alms 
ought  ever  to  go  together.  When  we  assem- 
ble to  implore  a  blessing  on  the  means  em- 
ployed for  sending  the  gospel  to  the  dark  and 
destitute  nations,  what  can  be  more  obvious 
and  reasonable  than  the  duty  of  furnishing 
our  proportion  of  the  means  for  carrying  oa 


5:2  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

a  work   at   once  so  expensive   and   so  pre- 
cious ? 

We  sometimes  hear  surprise  expressed, 
even  by  some  of  our  pious  people,  tliat  so 
much  is  said  at  our  monthly  prayer  meetings 
about  money ;  that  we  scarcely  ever  pass 
such  a  meeting  without  hearing  the  duty  of 
contributions  at  least  hinted  at,  if  not  urgently 
pressed.  But  does  not  this  surprise  result 
from  the  want  of  consideration  ?  Is  any 
Christian  man,  however  heavenly-minded — 
however  weaned  from  the  world,  able  to  live 
himself,  or  to  feed  and  clothe  his  family  with- 
out expense  ?  If  the  pagans  knew  the  value 
of  the  gospel,  they  would  be  willing  to  sus- 
tain and  even  liberally  to  compensate  those 
who  carry  it  to  them.  But  they  do  not  know 
its  value,  and  of  course,  those  who  bear  to 
them  the  bread  of  life,  must  be  sustained  by 
those  who  send  them.  And  is  this  to  be  done 
without  funds ;  and  if  the  number  sent  be 
considerable, without  large  funds?  Can  mis- 
sionaries and  their  families  live  upon  air? 
Or  can  we  expect  them  to  be  supported  by 
miracle  ?  We  do  not  expect  our  own  fami- 
lies to  be  sustained  without  money,  and  we 
are  willing  to  bestow  it  for  their  comfort. 
Ought  we  not  to  be  quite  as  willing,  nay, 


OP   THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  53 

more  cordially  zealous  in  aiding  to  support 
families  who  are  devoting  their  time,  and  all 
their  powers  to  the  advancement  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  ?  What  strange  forgetfulness 
and  want  of  practical  consideration  blind  the 
minds,  and  affect  the  judgment  of  thousands 
who  seldom  fail  of  judging  correctly  where 
their  supposed  interest  is  not  concerned ! 
Alas  !  that  the  children  of  this  world  are  apt 
to  be  so  much  wiser  and  more  considerate  in 
their  generation  than  the  children  of  light ! 

I  am  quite  sensible  that  the  subject  of  pe- 
cuniary contributions  may  be  made  too  promi- 
nent at  our  monthly  prayer  meetings.  They 
may  be  insisted  upon  with  a  frequency,  and 
held  up  in  a  light  which  may  make  them  ap- 
pear to  some  as  the  great  thing  in  the  spread 
of  the  gospel ;  and  to  lead  our  people  to  for- 
get that  all  the  money  in  the  world  could  not, 
of  itself,  convert  one  soul.  This  is  an  un- 
happy and  mischievous  extreme.  But  on 
the  other  hand,  all  the  prayers  in  the  world, 
if  alone,  will  not,  cannot  extend  the  cause  of 
Christ  in  the  world,  unless  God  can  deny 
himself 

If  we  examine  the  annual  statistical  re- 
ports of  our  church,  the  mortifying  and  won- 
derful fact  is  disclosed,  that  nearly,  if  not  quite 

5* 


54  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

one  half  of  our  congregations  contribute  no- 
thing, absolutely  nothing  to  the  treasury  of 
the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  ;  and  quite  as 
many,  if  not  more,  who  contribute  nothing 
to  Domestic  Missions.  How  many  of  these 
churches  pay  any  attention  to  the  monthly 
prayer  meeting,  is  altogether  unknown  to  the 
present  writer.  How  much  they  may  pray, 
either  in  public  or  private,  for  the  extension  of 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  no  ecclesiastical  re- 
cords within  reach  manifest.  But,  surely,  they 
give  little  evidence  that  their  hearts  are  in 
these  prayers,  even  if  regularly  offered  up, 
when  so  little  practical  fruit  of  love  and  zeal 
is  permitted  to  appear.  This  is  what  the 
spirit  of  inspiration  calls  "loving  in  word 
only,  and  not  in  deed  and  in  truth."  We 
contended,  for  a  long  time,  and  against  much 
opposition,  for  the  privilege  and  the  opportu- 
nity of  conducting  Foreign  Missions,  as  a 
church.  Now  that  we  have  gained  our  ob- 
ject, shall  wc  give  occasion  to  the  religious 
public  to  suppose  that  we  were  more  anxious 
t)  gain  the  victory  over  opposers,  than  to  be 
empowered  to  perform  the  great  work  for 
which  we  professed  to  contend  ?  Surely  the 
history  of  the  conflict  by  which,  under  the 
blessing  of  God,   we   attained   the   position 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  55 

which  we  now  occupy,  is  deeply  interesting, 
and  greatly  increases  our  responsibility.    Our 
opposers   in  that  conflict,  predicted,  that  it 
would  be  found  that  we  had  neither  hfe  nor 
zeal  enough  to  carry  on  to  any  advantage 
the  work  which  we  undertook.     How  un- 
happy if  this  prediction  should  be  verified  ! 
Surely  every  consideration  of  worldly  con- 
sistency, as  well   as  of  sanctified  principle, 
calls  upon  us  to  arise  in  all  the  strength  that 
God  may  give  us,  and  to  pursue  in  good  ear- 
nest the  object  which  we  profess  to  love,  and 
which  we  have  solicited  the  power  of  pur- 
suing. 

It  is  not  uncommon,  indeed,  to  hear  the  re- 
mark, that  some  congregations  are  so  small 
and  so  poor  as  to  be  scarcely  able  to  support 
a  pastor  ;  and  that  such  ought  not  to  be  call- 
ed upon  or  expected  to  contribute  to  the  mis- 
sionary treasury.  This  doctrine,  I  am  bold 
to  say,  has  no  foundation  or  countenance  in 
the  word  of  God.  No  church  was  ever  so 
feeble  or  impoverished  as  to  make  it  impro- 
per to  call  upon  its  members  to  contribute  to 
the  cause  of  missions.  If  I  were  asked  how 
a  church,  however  small  or  poor,  would  be 
most  likely  to  rise  and  grow  ;  what  would  be 
the  surest  means  of  attaining  edification  and 


56  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

Strength,  I  would  say  with  conj5clence — Let 
it  begin  in  good  earnest  to  pray  and  exert  it- 
self for  sending  the  gospel  to  the  benighted 
and  perishing.  However  small  its  strength, 
let  it  rouse  that  little,  such  as  it  is,  and  engage 
with  fervent  prayer,  and  with  heartfelt  love 
for  souls,  in  contributing  to  the  Lord's  treasu- 
ry, and  the  very  eifort  would  tend  to  enlarge 
and  build  it  up.  A  small  church,  or  a  sickly 
Christian,  may  fitly  be  compared  to  an  indi- 
vidual long  enfeebled  by  disease,  who  is  be- 
ginning, in  the  commencement  of  convales- 
cence, to  employ  muscular  eftbrt  in  exercise 
in  the  open  air.  Every  effort  adds  to  his 
strength.  He  may  be  so  feeble  as  to  feel  as 
if  he  could  scarcely  move  a  limb ;  but  every 
movement  is  salutary  and  invigorating.  So 
that  instead  of  saying,  his  weakness  forbids 
liim  to  take  exercise ;  he  may  rather  say, 
that  he  cannot  regain  his  health  without  it. 
In  like  manner,  a  small  and  feeble  church, 
instead  of  being  able  with  propriety  to  say — 
"  Wc  cimiot  allbrd  to  give  alms  with  our 
prayers  for  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom," — ought  rather  to  say — "  We  can- 
not allbrd  to  live  without  doing  something  as 
well  as  praying  for  the  salvation  of  the  be- 
nighted aiid  perishing.'*     There  is  no  case  in 


OP    THE    MONTHLY    CONCEPT.  57 

regard  to  which  the  proverb  of  the  wise  man 
is  more  appUcable  than  here — ^'  There  is  that 
withholdeth,  but  it  tendeth  to  poverty-" 

Nay,  if  I  were  a  pastor,  and  were  engaged 
in  collecting    the   contributions  of  Christian 
liberaUty    toward    the   missionary  cause,    I 
should  never  think  of  passing  the  door  even 
of  a  pauper,  whose  whole  support  was   de- 
rived from  the  charity  of  the  church.     If,  in- 
deed, I  were  soliciting  donations  for  complet- 
ing the  salary  of  the  pastor,  or  for  repairing 
or  rebuilding  the  house  of  worship,  I  should 
never  think  of  applying  to  such  for  aid ;  but 
if  the  object  were  to  send  the  gospel  to  the 
poor  and  perishing,  as  an  accompaniment  of 
prayer  on  their  behalf,  1  would  not  deny,  even 
to  the  poorest,  the  opportunity  of  contribut- 
ing their  cent  or  half  cent  per  month,  which, 
if  they  had  a  proper  spirit,  would  be  regard- 
ed as  a  precious  privilege,  and  which,  when 
pious  wishes  and  prayers  went  along,  would 
be  accounted,  in  the  sight  of  the  great  Search- 
er of  hearts,  a  more  truly  acceptable  offering 
than  thousands  of  gold  and  silver  from  the 
overflowing  abundance  of  the  rich.     There 
was  no  scruple,  of  old,  in  receiving  the  contri- 
butions of  the  indigent.     The  poor  widow 
commended  by   our   Lord,  who   cast  "  two 


58  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

mites  which  make  a  farthing,''  into  the  Lord's 
treasury,  is  represented  as  having  cast  in  more, 
ill  the  divine  estimation,  than  all  the  other 
contributors,  however  liberal.     A  pious,  but 
deeply  indigent  widow,  in  our  own  day,  in 
handing  her  sixpence  to  the  collection  for  the 
missionary  fund,  said,  with  a  starting  tear — 
"  This  is  all  I  have  to  give ;  but  I  give  it  with 
my  whole  heart,  and  am  desirous  it  should 
go,  with  my  hearty  prayers,  to  the  poor  hea- 
then."    Was  it  wrong  to  receive  this  pittance 
from  her  hands  ?     Surely  not ;  unless  it  be 
right  to  turn  away  from  the  cordial  offering, 
and   the   fervent  prayers   of  Christian  love, 
which  in  the  sight  of  God  are  of  great  price. 
There  are  those  who  are  heard  to   com- 
plain, that  collections  taken  up  every  month, 
for  the  support  of  missions,  are  too  frequent ; 
and  especially  when  taken  in  connection  with 
the  contributions   for  other  purposes,  called 
for   at   intermediate   seasons.      Surely   such 
complainers  have  read   the   records  of   the 
people  of   God,  at   diflcrent  periods  of  the 
church's  history,  with   little   profit.     Under 
the  Old  Testament  economy,  every  member 
of  the  Jewish  commonwealth  was  required 
to  pay  two  tithes,  or  one-fifth  part  of  all  his 
income,  for  the  support  of  the  ministers  of 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  59 

religion,  and  the  expense  of  the  daily  sacri- 
fices.    And,  indeed,  little,  if  any  less  than  one- 
half  of  each  individual's  income  was  requir- 
ed to  meet  all  the  demands  which  arose  un- 
der the  theocracy.     What  would  be  thought 
of  requiring  such  a  proportion  of  income  for 
the  support  and  spread  of  the  gospel  now  } 
And  yet  that  amount  of  contribution  was  fix- 
ed by  infinite  Wisdom,  who  perfectly  under- 
stood what  was  reasonable  and  for  the  good 
of  the  people.     Let  us  also  call  to  mind  the, 
large  and  almost  boundless  charities  of  the 
early  Christians.     The  system  of  tithes  was 
done  away  when  Christ  came.     No  specific 
assessment  was  proclaimed  by  his  inspired 
teachers.     The  "law  of  love"  seems  to  have 
been  made  the  rule  for  its  almost  limitless 
liberality.     Let  the  advocates  of  modern  par- 
simony read  the  record  of  their  contributions 
and  sacrifices,  and  be  ashamed  of  their  nar- 
row calculations.     Think  how  they  braved 
dangers  and  denied  themselves,  and  poured 
out  their  property  and  even  their  blood, "  Hke 
water,"  for  spreading  the  gospel.    Yes,  amidst 
all  the  poverty,  and  privations,  and  persecu- 
tions under  which  they  laboured,  they  brought 
offerings  for  sending  the  gospel  of  salvation 
to  others,  truly  wonderful  in  the  amount. 


60  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

Nay,  they  not  only  gave  their  substance — 
sometimes  to  the  last  farthing — to  this  object; 
but  they  counted  not  their  Uves  too  dear  to 
be  made  an  offering  for  the  promotion  of  the 
Redeemer's  kingdom  and  glory.  In  short, 
for  several  centuries  after  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  they  devoted  themselves  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  missionary  cause  with  a  univer- 
sality, and  to  an  extent,  to  which,  as  far  as  I 
know,  there  is  now  no  parallel.  Let  the  pro- 
fessing believers  in  Christ  of  the  present  day 
read  this  record,  and  then  say,  whether  those 
who  talk  of  giving  only  what  is  ^-conve- 
nient" for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  nay, 
who  appear  to  grudge  the  sacrifice  even  of 
the  smallest  luxury,  cither  in  unnecessary 
dress,  or  in  injurious  feasting,  can  be  consid- 
ered as  belonging  to  the  same  body,  or  as  ani- 
mated with  the  same  spirit,  with  those  primi- 
tive disciples. 

I  know  one  church  (not  in  our  connection) 
by  no  means  wealthy,  which  has  long  been 
in  the  habit  of  contributing  fifty  dollars,  eve- 
ry month,  for  the  support  of  missions,  besides 
all  other  claims  for  the  work  of  benevolence. 
1  am  acquainted  with  another  church,  also  of 
medium  character  as  to  wealth,  and  1  am  sor- 
ry to  say,  not  belonging  to  our  body,  which 


OP    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  61 

never  fails  to  raise  one  hundred  dollars  every 
month  for  the  same  cause,  in  addition  to  large 
liberality  toward  other  objects  of  charity. 
Happy  should  we  be  if  a  similar  spirit  per- 
vaded our  churches  !  If  all  the  members 
of  our  churches  could  be  prevailed  upon  each 
to  contribute  twenty-five  cents  at  every 
monthly  prayer  meeting,  or  even  half  that 
sum,  in  addition  to  the  aid  which  hundreds, 
not  members,  would  be  ready  cheerfully  to 
give — the  Boards  to  whom  we  have  entrust- 
ed the  missionary  work,  would  have  a  great 
sufficiency  for  carrying  into  execution  all 
their  wise  plans.  But  how  distressing  to 
know  that  even  this  pittance  is  more  than  the 
great  majority  of  our  members  can  be  pre- 
vailed upon  to  give  ;  and  that  many  even  of 
those  who  profess  to  come  together  to  pray 
for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  while  in  their 
addresses  to  the  throne  of  grace  they  say  to 
the  heathen.  Be  ye  warmed  and  filled,  yet 
contribute  nothing  toward  sending  to  them  the 
bread  and  the  water  of  life. 

Let  every  professing  Christian  be  asked — 
Does  any  month  in  the  whole  year  pass  with- 
out bringing  many  mercies  to  you  and  yours  ? 
Health,  reason,  food  and  raiment,  domestic 
comforts,  and  above  all,  the  privileges  of  the 


G2  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

gospel,  are  among  the  number  which  miceas- 
ingly  call  for  a  grateful  acknowledgment  and 
return.  Do  you  owe  nothing  to  the  King  of 
Zion  for  these  mercies?  Do  you  owe  no- 
thing for  your  Bibles,  your  Sabbaths,  your 
open  sanctuaries,  your  sacramental  tables, 
and  all  the  humanizing,  regulating  and  sanc- 
tifying effects  which  these  things  are  constant- 
ly diffusing  around  you  ?  You  are  not  slow- 
to  confess  that  all  these  institutions  exert  an 
influence  to  make  your  children  more  orderly, 
your  families  happier,  and  the  whole  aspect 
of  society  more  regular  and  blessed.  Can 
we  recognize  and  acknowledge  these  mercies, 
and  yet  feel  no  disposition  to  make  the  small- 
est grateful  offering  for  promoting  the  glory 
of  him  who  is  the  Author  of  them  all  ? 

When  the  monthly  prayer  meeting  returns, 
have  you  the  heart,  0  Christian,  to  turn  your 
back  upon  it ;  and,  if  you  go,  to  grudge  at 
least  a  few  cents  as  a  thank  offering  to  God, 
and  for  imparting  the  same  privileges  which 
you  enjoy  to  those  who  are  perishing  for  lack 
of  them?  Think— think  again  of  your  own 
mercies;  and  then  if  you  can  trample  on  the 
obligations  which  bind  you  to  plan  and  pro- 
vide, as  well  as  pray,  for  the  temporal  and 
eternal  welfare  of  those  who  are  destitute  of 


OP    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  63 

these  mercies,  how  can  you  dare  claim  to  be 
the  disciples  of  him  who  has  said — "  It  is 
more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive,"  and 
who  came  to  "  seek  and  save  that  which  was 
lost?" 

We  cannot  reasonably  expect  every  one 
who  is  friendly  to  the  cause  of  missions  to  be 
present  at  every  monthly  prayer  meeting. 
Bad  weather — sickness — domestic  cares — and 
many  events,  incapable  of  being  specified, 
alas !  perhaps,  at  some  times,  even  spiritual 
inditference,  will  keep  some  at  home.  But 
there  is  no  need  that  obstacles  of  this  kind 
should  prevent  any  one  from  forwarding  his 
monthly  contribution.  He  may  send  it  by  a 
son,  or  daughter,  or  neighbour.  And  if,  for 
the  accomplishment  of  this  object,  he  should 
employ  one  who  has  no  taste  for  attending, 
and  who  is  not  accustomed  to  be  there,  he 
may  be  the  means  of  putting  a  beloved  friend, 
without  seeming  to  design  it,  in  the  way  of 
receiving  the  richest  of  all  blessings ;  a  new 
heart  and  a  right  spirit — an  introduction  to 
that  kingdom  which  is  "  not  meat  and  drink, 
but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  t.  e 
Holy  Ghost." 

Are  any  ready  to  ask.  How  much  is  it  the 
duty   of  each   one,  on  the   return  of   this 


64  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

monthly  service,  to  give  for  the  great  purpose 
of  spreading  the  gospel  ?  "  It  has  been  fre- 
quently wished  by  Christians,"  says  the  ex- 
cellent Dr.  Payson,  <•  that  there  were  some 
rule  laid  down  in  the  Bible,  fixing  the  pro- 
portion of  their  property  which  they  ought 
to  contribute  to  religious  uses.  This  is  as  if 
a  child  should  go  to  his  father,  and  say,  "  Fa- 
ther, how  many  times  in  the  day  must  I  come 
to  you  with  some  testimonial  of  my  love  ? 
How  often  will  it  be  necessary  to  show  my 
affection  for  you  ?"  The  father  would,  of 
course,  reply — "  Just  as  often  as  your  feelings 
prompt  you,  my  child,  and  no  oftener."  Just 
so  Christ  says  to  his  people — "  Look  at  me, 
and  see  what  I  have  done  and  suffered  for 
you,  and  then  give  me  just  what  you  think 
I  deserve.  I  do  not  wish  any  thing  forced."* 
Perhaps  a  better  answer  could  not  be  giv- 
en, when  addressed  to  a  gracious  and  truly 
grateful  heart.  But  alas  !  how  inadequate  a 
rule,  when  presented  to  the  mass  of  Christian 
professors!  If  pnst'nt  inclination  were  the 
only  guide,  what  stinted  and  miserable  results 
would,  in  a  multitnde  of  cases,  appear  !  An 
indication  of  the  divine  will  still  more  definite 
and  intelligible  to  all  must  be  summoned  to 

*  Payson's  Mcmoire,  p.  381. 


OF    THE    MONTHLr    CONCERT.  65 

our  aid.  True,  the  demand  of  a  tenth  part 
of  our  income,  as  before  stated,  is  no  longer 
in  force,  in  so  many  words,  under  the  New- 
Testament  economy.  And  yet,  can  any  one 
read  the  New  Testament  without  perceiving 
that  all  this,  and  even  more,  is  virtually  de- 
manded— that,  as  the  Christian  dispensation 
is  one  of  more  light,  less  servility,  and  much 
larger  privilege,  so  it  brings  with  it  more 
extended  obligations,  and  offers  excitements 
to  spiritual  enterprise  and  usefulness  •  in- 
comparably greater  ?  I  should  say,  that 
every  Christian,  if  he  duly  contemplated  his 
privileges  and  his  obligation,  would  feel  him- 
self bound  to  go  beyond  rather  than  fall  short 
of  that  which  was  binding  under  the  system 
of  tithes.  Under  this  system,  the  pious  Jew, 
in  the  scope  of  his  benevolence,  was  confined 
to  the  limits  of  his  own  nation.  It  appeared 
to  be  the  will  of  God  that,  up  to  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah  in  the  flesh,  a  single  nation 
only  should  be  the  depositary  of  his  truth, 
and  the  conservators  of  his  laws.  But  now, 
the  Christian,  with  a  vast  enlargement  of  his 
own  mercies,  privileges,  and  hopes,  beholds  a 
WORLD  lying  in  sin  and  misery  before  him,  to 
every  part  of  which  he  is  commanded,  as  far 

as  his  ability  extends,  to  send  the  glorious 

6* 


66  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

gospel.  Will  not  every  enlightened  believer, 
in  these  enlarged  circumstances,  feel  himself 
called  upon  for  greatly  enlarged  desires,  ef- 
forts, and  contributions  for  the  relief  of  a  dy- 
ing world,  committed  as  it  were,  to  the  care 
of  each  member  of  the  Master's  body ;  and 
for  the  extension  of  the  kingdom  and  glory 
of  that  Master  ? 

The  relations  and  responsibilities  of  differ- 
ent persons  under  the  gospel,  are  such,  that 
no  general  rule  for  giving  to  the  cause  of 
Christ  can  be  laid  down  as  equally  applicable 
to  all.  Those  who  have  no  children  or  im- 
mediate dependents,  and  those  who  have 
large  families  entirely  dependent  on  them, 
though  they  must  be  governed  by  the  same 
great  principles,  are  not,  undoubtedly,  to  be 
regulated  by  the  same  measure  of  liberality. 
All,  indeed,  whatever  their  situation  may  be, 
are  to  consider  themselves  with  all  they  pos- 
sess, as  dedicated  to  Christ,  as  bound  to  make 
liis  will  the  sovereign  guide  of  their  conduct, 
as  his  glory  is  tho  great  end  of  all  their  ac- 
tions. Ikit  the  same  will  does  not  dictate  an 
ecjual  amount  of  giving  to  all.  Some,  like 
the  Apostle  Peter,  have  nothing  to  give  save 
that  which  is  brought  to  their  hands  in  an 
extraordinary  manner  (Matt.  xvii.  27);  while 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  67 

Others,  like  Zaccheus,  are  rich,  and  have  a 
large  store  on  which  to  draw  for  relieving  the 
wants  of  the  poor,  and  supplying  the  exigen- 
cies of  the  church.  Where  there  is  much 
wealth,  and,  at  the  same  time,  any  thing  like 
that  ardent  love  to  the  Saviour,  and  that  deep 
sense  of  obligation  to  him  which  ought  to  fill 
every  Christian  heart,  the  professor  will  hold 
all  that  he  has,  consecrated  to  God,  and  to  be 
disposed  of  in  such  a  manner  as  he  verily  be- 
lieves will  be  most  for  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  advancement  of  the  Redeemer's  king- 
dom. Mr.  Nathaniel  Ripley  Cobb,  a  pious 
merchant  of  Boston  some  years  ago,  made, 
with  solemnity,  the  following  covenant  with 
God,  that  he  might  supremely  honour  him 
who  had  brought  peace  to  his  soul.  "Re- 
solved, 1.  That  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  will 
never  be  worth  more  than  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars. 2.  That,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  v/ill 
give  one-fourth  of  all  the  profits  of  my  busi- 
ness to  charitable  and  religious  uses.  3.  If  I 
am  ever  worth  twenty  thousand  dollars,  I 
will  give  one-half  of  my  net  profits.  4.  If  I 
am  ever  worth  thirty  thousand  dollars,  I  will 
give  three-fourths  of  my  profits, and  the  whole 
above  fifty  thousand.  So  help  me  God  !  or 
give  the  property  to  a  more  faithful  steward, 


0^  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

and  set  me  aside."  It  was  in  the  year  1821, 
that  Mr.  Cobb  drew  up  this  solemn  vow,  and 
began  to  act  upon  it.  And  he  continued,  till 
the  time  of  his  death,  most  scrupulously  to 
fulfil  all  its  terms.  The  fixed  sum  which  he 
had  devoted  to  Christ  was  disbursed  with  as 
much  regularity,  from  year  to  year,  as  any 
tradesman's  bill ;  and  though  he,  at  times, 
exceeded  it,  he  never  would  suffer  it  to  be  in 
the  least  degree  curtailed.  Fhiding  that  he 
had  realized,  in  one  year,  seven  thousand 
dollars  beyond  his  stipulated  maximum,  he 
immediately  laid  out  the  surplus  in  commen- 
cing the  foundation  of  a  Professorship  in  a 
public  institution. 

I  am  far,  my  Christian  brethren,  from  say- 
ing that  this  example  ought  to  be  followed 
by  every  professing  Christian  engaged  in 
prosperous  business.  Some  ought  not  to  do 
so  much,  and  others  even  more.  If  tlicre  be 
really  and  habitually  reigning  in  the  heart  a 
'sincere  love  to  the  Saviour  as  the  life  and 
hope  of  the  soul,  and  a  supreme  regard  to  the 
enlargement  and  prosperity  of  his  kingdom, 
there  will  be  little  diiliculty  in  determining 
how  much  of  our  possessions  ougiit  to  be 
devoted  to  the  glory  of  lIim,to  whom  we  owe 
life  and  health,  and  all  our  temporal  comforts, 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  69 

and  to  crown  all,  the  sum  total  of  our  hopes 
of  eternal  blessedness. 

What  shall  we  say,  then,  to  the  man  whose 
possessions  amount  not  merely  to  the  sum 
which  this  pious  man  assigned  as  the  maxim- 
um of  his  estate,but  to  ten  or  even  twenty  times 
as  much,  and  who  is  every  year  adding  thou- 
sands to  his  accumulation ;  and  who  consid- 
ers it  as  quite  enough  for  him  to  pay  his  pew 
rent,  and  perhaps  as  much  more,  toward  all 
the  diversified  objects  which  demand  Chris- 
tian liberality.  To  all  the  claims  of  world- 
ly grandeur  and  worldly  pleasure,  however 
large,  he  responds  with  a  wiUing  mind  ;  per- 
haps with  a  spirit  of  ostentatious  profusion  ; 
but  to  the  claims  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom, 
his  responses  are  habitually  relactant  and 
sparing.  Even  worldly  men  see  and  ac- 
knowledge that  such  an  example  is  altogeth- 
er unworthy  of  the  Christian  name. 

When  the  professing  Christian,  then,  per- 
sists in  the  great  work  of  accumulating  pro- 
perty, at  the  expense  of  denying  what  he 
owes  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  he  may  con- 
gratulate himself  that  he  shall  die  rich ;  but 
it  is  no  abuse  of  language  to  say,  that,  upon 
Christian  principles,  he  will  die  most  sinfully 
rich. 


70  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

Beloved  reader  !  for  what  purpose  are  you 
so  intent  on  laying  up  property,  and  so  reluc- 
tant to  devote  even  a  moderate  portion  of  it 
to  the  kingdom  and  glory  of  God  ?  Is  it  that 
you  may  leave  your  children  wealthy,  luxu- 
rious, swallowed  up  in  worldly  indulgences, 
and  raised  above  the  necessity  of  exercising 
and  exerting  their  own  talents !  0  how 
many  parents  have  starved  and  jeoparded 
their  own  souls,  for  the  sake  of  laying  up  and 
leaving  large  fortunes,  which,  when  made, 
have  proved  a  temptation  to  their  children, 
and  their  destruction  for  this  world  as  well  as 
that  which  is  to  come  ! 

Each  individual  Christian,  then,  must  of 
necessity  be  left  to  himself  to  decide  liow 
much  he  will  contribute,  from  year  to  year, 
towards  sustaining  the  church  in  her  efibrts 
to  convert  the  world  to  God.  It  is  in  this  case 
as  in  a  multitude  of  others.  The  precise  path 
of  duty  cannot  be  prescribed  to  each  individu- 
al in  every  case  without  encroaching  on  the 
province  of  miracle.  It  is  plainly  made  our 
duty  by  the  word  of  God  to  ''  visit  the  fa- 
therless and  the  widows  in  their  alUiclion  ;*' 
but  how  much  of  our  time  shall  be  devoted 
to  this  object  must,  of  course,  be  left  for  each 
one  of  us  to  judge  for  himself;  and  it  is  evi- 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  71 

dent  that  the  same  portion  of  time  is  not,  and 
cannot  be,  required  of  all.  Again  ;  it  is  the 
duty  of  all  to  spend  a  portion  of  every  day 
in  prayer  and  reading  the  Scriptures.  But 
how  many  hours  of  each  day  ought  to  be 
thus  spent,  must,  of  course,  be  left  to  the  oc- 
cupation and  the  circumstances  of  each  per- 
son. Some  ought,  undoubtedly,  to  spend 
more  time  thus  than  others.  In  like  manner, 
what  shall  be  the  annual  amount  of  the  con- 
tributions of  each  one  who  calls  himself  a 
Christian  to  the  cause  of  religion,  must  be  left 
to  his  own  conscience.  No  other  mortal  has 
a  right  to  decide  it  for  him.  But  is  there  no 
other  tribunal  where  his  decisions  on  this  sub- 
ject are  to  be  reviewed,  and,  if  erroneous, 
condemned  ?  Certainly  there  is  ;  and  there- 
fore, the  parsimonious  giver,  and  he  who  re- 
fuses to  give,  under  the  impression  that  he  is 
left  at  liberty  by  the  Head  of  the  church  to 
judge  for  him.self,are  placed,  in  the  new  econo- 
my, in  circumstances  of  responsibility  which 
they  too  often  forget.  There  is  such  a  thing, 
O  professing  Christian  !  as  robbing  God  un- 
der the  New  Testament  dispensation  as  really 
as  under  the  Old.  The  difference  is,  that  now 
the  duty  of  paying  what  he  demands  is  not 
fenced  round  with  the  same  rigour  of  servili- 


751  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

ty  as  it  once  was  ;  but  that  delinquency  is  at- 
tended with  more  resistance  of  light  and  mer- 
cy, and  is,  of  course,  likely  to  be  visited  with 
a  severer  penalty. 

The  great  subject,  then,  of  which  we  speak 
is  by  no  means  left  in  that  indefinite  posture 
in  the  word  of  God,  which  many  imagine. 
When,  therefore,  he  who  is  in  the  receipt  of 
a  comfortable  income  for  the  support  of  his 
family,  is  reluctant,  and  thinks  it  hard  to  de- 
vote a  tenth — or  a  twentieth — nay,  even  a 
thirtieth  of  his  revenues  for  the  spread  of  the 
gospel : — when  he  who  is  master  of  great 
wealth,  and  lives  in  the  enjoyment  of  every 
luxury,  is  unwilling  to  lop  off  any  portion  of 
his  vain  show,  or  to  abridge  a  single  luxury, 
for  the  sake  of  promoting  the  kingdom  of 
him  who  gives  him  all  that  he  enjoys,  and  to 
whom  he  professes  to  be  indebted  for  every 
hope  :  when  he  who,  on  the  recurrence  of 
hard  times,  which  call  upon  him  to  retrench 
— begins  retrenchment  first  with  his  God ; 
— these  individuals,  and  many  like  them,  may 
confidently  call  themselves  Christians,  and 
may  imagine  that  there  is  none  to  review  and 
set  aside  their  judgment.  Of  their  fellow- 
men,  indeed,  there  is  none.  No  man,  or  body 
of  men  has  a  right  to  say  to  such  an  one — 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  73 

"Why  doest  thou  so?"     But  there  is  One 
who  has  this  right,  and  who  will  assuredly 
exercise  it.     The  God  who  made  us,  and  who 
has  given  us  all  our  possessions,  has  declared, 
that  we  are  not  our  own ;  that  we  ourselves, 
and  all  we  possess,  are  his  property ;  that  we 
are  bound  to  "  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  his  righteousness ;"  that  the  love  of  Christ 
ought  ever  to  "constrain  us  to  live  not  unto 
ourselves,  but  to  him  who  died  for  us,  and 
rose  again  ;"  and  that  "holiness  to  the  Lord'" 
ought  to  be  inscribed  upon  every  article  of 
our  property,  as  well  as  upon  every  affection , 
of  our  hearts.     This  is  the  law  of  Christ — ■ 
not  of  the  ceremonial  economy — but  of  his 
New  Testament  kingdom  •,  and  he  will  hold 
us  to  it.     If  we  entirely  reject   this  law,  it 
only  shows  that,  whatever  name  we  may 
bear,  we  have  no  part  nor  lot  in  his  salva- 
tion.    But  if  we  acknowledge  and  desire  to 
be  governed  by  it,  and  yet  frequently  alto- 
gether lose  sight  of  it,  the  probability  is,  that 
judgments  in  kind  will  be  sent  upon  us  for 
our  correction.     There  is  reason   to  believe 
that  many  a  man  who  has  refused  to  answer 
the  claims  of  his  heavenly  Benefactor,  has 
had  that   taken  away  from  him  which  he 

thought  to  lay  up.     A  venerable  minister  of 

7 


74  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

the  Church  of  England,  long  since  deceased, 
used  to  say — with  as  much  justice  as  preci- 
sion— "  Let  me  proportion  my  giving  to  my 
income,  or  God  will  proportion  my  income  to 
my  giving."  The  late  John  Thornton,  of 
London,  of  the  same  church,  so  eminent  for 
his  religious  charities,  on  hearing  of  the  loss 
of  one  of  his  ships,  by  which  many  thousand 
pounds  were  unexpectedly  taken  from  him — 
said — ''  It  is  because  I  have  lately  given  less 
than  I  ought  to  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  ;  I 
must  give  more  while  I  have  it  to  give." 
But  what  is  more  conclusive  still,  the  Spir- 
it of  God,  speaking  by  the  prophet  Haggai, 
teaches  the  same  doctrine.  Remonstrating 
with  those  in  his  day,  who  neglected  the 
building  of  God's  house  for  the  sake  of  at- 
tending to  their  own  houses,  he  says  : — '*  Ye 
have  sown  much,  and  bring  in  little ;  and  he 
that  earneth  wages,  earneth  them  to  put  into 
a  bag  with  holes.  Ye  looked  for  much,  and 
lo  it  came  to  little  ;  and  when  ye  brought  it 
home,  1  did  blow  upon  it.  Why  ?  sailh  the 
Lord  of  hosts.  Because  of  mine  house  that 
is  waste  ;  and  ye  run  every  man  to  his  own 
house.  Therefore  the  heaven  over  you  is 
stayed  from  dew,  and  the  earth  is  stayed  from 
her  fruit — and  I  called  for  a  drought  upon  the 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  75 

land,  and  upon  the  corn,  and  upon  the  oil,  and 
upon  that  which  the  ground  bringeth  forth, 
and  upon  all  the  labour  of  your  hands." — 
Haggai,  i.  6,  9.     Ah  !  God  is  the  most  fear- 
ful of  all  creditors.     We  may  defraud  other 
creditors,  and   they  may  have  no  remedy ; 
but  when  we  are  deaf  to  the  claims  of  Om- 
nipotence, we  forget  our  own  mercies,  and 
are  in  Hands  from  which  there  is  no  escape. 
There  is  wisdom  as  well  as  convenience  in 
stated,  systematic  giving.    An  inspired  Apos- 
tle enjoined  on  the  Christians  of  his  day  to 
lay  aside  something  on  the  first  day  of  each 
week— something  for  the   Lord's  treasury; 
and  the  measure  of  their  contribution  which 
he   assigned  was — "according  as  the   Lord 
had  prospered  them.''     Most  people  give  at 
random ;    without    calculation  ;    without    a 
plan.     This  is  attended  with  multiplied  evils. 
Whereas,  if  the  Christian,  under  a  deep  sense 
of  his  obligation  to  that  God  who  has  given 
him  all  that  he  possesses,  deliberately  settles 
in  his  own  mind  what  he  ought  to  give  to 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  and  conscientiously 
lays  it  by  as  a  sacred  deposit ;— he  will  know 
how  much  he  gives,  which  many,  for  the  want 
of  this  arrangement,  greatly  mistake.  He  will 
come  to  this  fund,  when  each  successive  ap- 


76  LETTERS    ON    TUE    OBSERVANCE 

plication  is  made,  and  take  out  of  it  witliout 
a  prejudice  and  witliout  a  grudge.  He  will 
no  longer  be  harsh  to  those  who  crave  his 
liberality.  He  will  not  be  so  ingenious,  and  so 
much  on  the  alert  as  many  now  are,  to  evade 
an  appeal.  He  will  allow  to  every  case 
which  presents,  the  amount  of  support  which 
It  seems  to  demand  ;  and  he  will  meet  the 
claim,  not  with  reluctance  or  with  frowns, 
but  with  the  promptitude  and  cheerfulness 
becoming  a  Christian  giver.  How  sweet  tlie 
privilege  of,  every  week  or  month,  devoting 
something  to  the  kingdom  and  glory  of  him 
to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  all  we  enjoy, 
and  all  we  hope  for  ! 

Oh,  if  our  monthly  prayer  meetings  were 
strongly  marked  witli  this  spirit ;  if  we  came 
to  them  with  hearts  filled  with  love  to  the 
Saviour  and  his  cause ;  if,  while  we  pray  in 
word  that  "  the  heathen  may  be  given  to  him 
for  an  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth  for  a  possession" — our  whole  souls 
sincerely  responded  to  our  petitions,  we  might 
expect  to  see  the  Lord's  treasury  filled  to 
oversowing,  and  a  blessing  poured  out  upon 
all  our  churches,  until  there  should  be  no  more 
room  to  receive  it. 


OF   THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  77 


LETTER  IV. 

Concluding  remarks — Appeals  and  Exhortation. 

Christian  Brethren :  Having,  in  former  num- 
bers, briefly  traced  the  history  of  the  month- 
ly Concert  in  Prayer,  and  endeavoured  to  show 
the  duty  and  importance  of  attending  upon  it; 
and  having  made  some  suggestions  respect- 
ing the  best  method  of  conducting  the  exer- 
cise, and  the  obhgation  to  accompany  every 
season  of  prayer  for  the  conversion  of  the 
world  with  contributions  for  carrying  on  the 
work  ;  it  only  remains  that  I  close  with  some 
serious  exhortations  to  fidelity  and  persever- 
ance in  this  important  duty. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  reflect  on  what 
has  been  said,  and  to  make  the  whole  matter 
of  serious  consideration  and  of  practical  ap- 
peal. 

Is  it  so,  then,  that  the  children  of  men  with- 
out the  gospel,  are  in  a  state  of  deplorable 
destitution  and  misery ;  deprived  of  the  best 
and  only  eff'ectual  means  of  temporal  com- 
fort, and  without  hope  for  eternity  ?  Is  it  so, 
-    7*    • 


T^  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

that  we  are  all  bound  to  feel  for  those  who 
\  are  in  this  situation,  and  to  pray  for  them ; 
^\  and  that,  if  we  have  no  heart  to  do  this,  we 
can  have  no  scriptural  evidence  that  we  are 
Christians  ?     Is  it  so,  that  it  is  in  the  power 
of  the  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  to 
send  this  glorious  gospel  to  millions,  both  in 
our  own  country,  and  foreign  lands,  who  have 
it  not ;  and  that,  notwithstanding  this,  only  a 
small  portion  of  them  have  ever  made  any 
serious  eifort  to  fulfil  this  important  duty  ?    Is 
it  true,  that,  in  a  majority  of  our  congrega- 
tions, ministers,  and  elders,  and  deacons,  and 
people,  after  every  exhortation  and  entreaty 
to  the  contrary,  are  still  slumbering  over  this 
delinquency ;  that  our  prayer  meetings  for  the 
revival  of  religion,  and  the  conversion  of  the 
world,  are  thin  and  cold  ;  and  that  our  Boards 
of  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missions,  arc  left  to 
struggle  with  all  the  embarrassments  arising 
from  stinted  means,  and  restricted  plans  of 
action?    And  is  it  also  true,  that  all  this  has 
been  stated,  and  again  and  again  proclaimed 
to  the  church,  in  all  her  length  and  breadth, 
without  exciting  any  thing  like  a  general  and 
cordial  response,  and  still  leaving  a  large  part 
of  our  nominal  body  to  all  appearance  indif- 
ferent and  inactive  in  regard  to  these  high 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  79 

claims,  which  address  themselves  so  solemnly 
to  every  Christian  feeling  ? 

That  there  is  a  distressing  lack  of  interest 
in  this  great  subject  on  the  part  of  multitudes 
among  us  who  bear  the  Christian  name,  can 
be  doubted  by  none  who  have  eyes  to  see,  and 
ears  to  hear.  To  what  are  we  to  ascribe  this 
deplorable  delinquency  ?  Not,  surely,  to  the 
want  of  importance  and  of  interest  in  the 
great  object  recommended  ;  for  it  is,  beyond 
all  comparison,  the  most  solemnly  important, 
and  the  most  interesting  object  that  can  be 
presented  to  a  thinking  mind.  There  can  be 
none  greater ;  none  more  adapted  to  rouse 
the  attention  and  captivate  all  the  sensibili- 
ties of  the  Christian's  heart.  The  temporal 
and  eternal  welfare  of  unnumbered  millions 
of  men — the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom — and  the  glory  of  the  eternal  God 
— can  any  objects  be  greater  than  these,  on 
more  worthy  of  our  supreme  regard  ?  Nei- 
ther does  our  deplorable  delinquency  in  re- 
gard to  this  object  arise  from  ignorance  of  our 
duty  ;  for  it  has  been  set  before  us,  explained, 
and  pressed  upon  our  consciences  with  a  fre- 
quency, a  clearness,  and  a  force  which  leave 
no  individual  among  us  who  has  been  willing 
to  be  informed,  at  a  loss  to  understand  what 


80  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

the  Lord  would  have  him  to  do.  Nor  yet, 
again,  does  the  lack  of  zeal  and  effort  on  this 
subject  arise  from  want  of  power  to  discharge 
the  duty  in  question  ;  for  we  have  abundant 
time,  and  means,  and  power,  for  attending  to 
far  inferior  objects.  Nor  yet,  once  more,  can 
we  plead  that  the  discharge  of  the  duty  in 
question  is  not  accompanied  with  an  appro- 
priate and  encouraging  reward ;  for,  when 
discharged  from  proper  motives,  and  with  a 
proper  spirit,  there  is  no  work  in  which  a  ra- 
tional creature  can  engage  Avith  sweeter  en- 
joyment, and  of  which  the  performance  as 
well  as  the  retrospect  is  productive  of  richer 
or  more  abundant  fruits. 

To  what,  then,  are  we  to  ascribe  the  delin- 
quency in  question,  so  disreputable  to  our 
character  as  a  church,  and  so  distressing  to 
all  who  take  a  cordial  interest  in  the  exten- 
sion of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  ?  Must  we 
be  driven  to  the  mortifying  conclusion  that 
the  melancholy  fact  indicates  that  religion  is 
at  a  low  ebb  in  our  beloved  Zion ;  that  the 
greater  part  of  those  who  externally  belong 
to  our  communion,  liave  only  a  nominal  at- 
tachment to  the  great  cause  wbicli  they  pro- 
fess to  love ;  and  that  the  great  work  of 
spreading  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel  holds 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  81 

a  place  in  their  affections  far  below  that  which 
relates  to  the  gains  and  honours  of  the  world  ? 
Surely  from  a  state  so  deplorable  and  crimi- 
nal as  this,  every  one  who  is  concerned  for 
his  present  peace  or  his  eternal  welfare,  would 
wish  to  be  roused. 

Permit  me,  then,  in  the  name,  and  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  to  reason  with  those  who  lay 
claim,  in  any  sense,  or  in  any  degree,  to  the 
Christian  character,  and  are  yet  conscious  that 
they  are,  in  any  measure  chargeable  with  this 
delinquency 

My  dear  friends,  can  any  thinking  person 
doubt   that  the  situation  of  those  who  are 
without  the  gospel,  whether  in  heathen  lands, 
or  in  lands  nominally  Christian,  is  a  situation 
truly  deplorable,  and  attended  with  circum- 
stances in  the  highest  degree  unfriendly  to  ._ 
their  present  enjoyment,  and  still  more  fatal  \ 
to  their  eternal  welfare  ?      Can  any  one  doubt 
that  for  rational,  immortal  and  accountable 
creatures  to   be  placed  in  circumstances   in 
which  they  can  know  nothing  of  the  Bible  ; 
nothing  of  the  means  of  grace ;  nothing  of 
those  principles  and  teachers  which  lead  men 
to  present  happinessandto  eternal  salvation, — 
is,  of  all  situations  on  this  side  the  abyss  of 
perdition,  the   most  perilous   and   gloomy  ? 


88  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

Can  any  doubt  that  the  gospel  is  the  greatest, 
richest,  best  treasure  that  can  possibly  be  sent 
to  any  portion  of  our  ruined  race  that  is  des- 
titute of  it  ?  Can  any  really  doubt  that  it  is 
.the  duty  of  the  church  of  Christ,  as  such,  to 

•  take  etfectual  measures  for  sending  this  gos- 
pel, far  and  wide,  in  all  its  purity  and  power, 
to  those  who  have  it  not  ?     And  if  this  be 

<;  the  duty  of  the  church,  as  a  living,  active 
body,  does  not  every  member  of  the  church 
participate  in  this  obligation ;  and  is  not  eve- 

;  ry  one  directly  or  indirectly  connected  with 
the  church,  under  a  personal  responsibility  in 

^  regard  to  this  matter  ;  a  responsibility  weighty 
and  solemn,  and  from  which  it  is  impossible 
to  escape  ?  Let  me  ask  you,  then,  beloved 
reader  of  these  lines — if  you  call  yourself  a 
Christian — how  will  you  escape  from  this  ob- 
ligation ?  Nay,  whether  you  call  yourself  a 
Christian  or  not ; — whether  you  bear  the  re- 
lation of  formal  membership  to  the  church  or 
not — how  can  you  escape  from  it  ?  If,  indeed, 
/  you  h;ivc  publicly  and  formally  united  your- 
self with  the  church,  this  act  adds,  no  doubt, 
to  your  obligation  ;  makes  it  more  strong  and 
^^   tender.      But  if  you  have  never  taken  this 

I  step,  still  if  you  have  heard  the  gospel ;  if 
/    you  have  the  Bible  in  your  hands,  you  are 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  83 

bound  to  impart  a  knowledge  of  them  to"\ 
Others.     To  whomsoever  much  is  given,  of     I 
them  shall  much  be  required.     Let  none  say,  / 
then,  we  have  never  made  a  profession  of  re-  / 
ligion,  and  therefore,  are  not  under  obligation  I 
to  take  an  active  part  in  spreading  the  gos-  \ 
pel.     You  are  bound,  0  reader,  whoever  you 
are,  to  believe  and  obey  the  gospel.     But,  if 
you  fail  of  performing  this  duty,  this  failure 
does  not  release  you  from  the  obligation  to 
perform  another,  that  is,  to  send  it  abroad  to 
others.      Every   one  to    whom   the   gospel 
comes  is  bound  to  believe  it ;  and,  believing 
it,  to  confess  Christ  before  men.     But  if  he 
believe  not,  though  he  ought  not,  remaining 
in  unbelief,  to  profess  a  lie ;  yet,  surely,  his 
not  making  a  profession  of  religion,  in  these 
circumstances,  does  not,  cannot  release  him 
from  the   obligation  to  repent  and  believe. 
All  the  weight  of  responsibility  arising  from 
his  character  as  a  sinner  to  whom  the  otfer  of 
mercy  comes,  still  hes  upon  him.     In  all  our 
contributions  to  feed  the  hungry,  to  clothe  the 
naked,  or,  in  any  way,  to  promote  the  happi- 
ness of  our  fellow-men,  it  is  our  duty  to  give, 
from  proper  motives,  and  with  a  proper  spir- 
it, from  a  disinterested  principle  of  love  to 
God,  and  a  sacred  regard  to  the  temporal  and 


t 


S4  LETTERS    Oy    THE    OBSERVANCE 

eternal  well-being  of  those  to  whom  we  give. 
But  suppose  a  man  supremely  worldly,  who 
knows  nothing  of  holy  love  either  to  God  or 
man,  to  know  of  a  destitute  family,  hungry 
and  starving  at  his  door,  Avhile  lie  has  bread 
cnoucrh  and  to  spare  ;  is  he  not  bound  to  con- 
tribute to  their  relief?  If  he  should,  unfeel- 
ingly, refuse  to  afford  relief,  when  it  was  in 
his  power,  should  we  not  consider  him  as  a 
brute  ?  And  if  he  should  plead,  as  an  apology 
for  not  doing  it,  that  he  was  not  a  Christian, 
should  we  not  regard  him  as  insane  ;  as  one 
who  had  entirely  lost  sight  of  the  real  nature 
of  moral  obligation  ? 

The  obligation,  then,  of  all  who  bear  the 
Christian  name,  and  of  all  who  even  possess 
the  gospel,  to  do  their  part  for  spreading  it 
abroad,  being  so  plain,  let  me  entreat  you,  be- 
loved reader,  to  bring  this  question  home, 
without  partiahty,  and  without  evasion,  to 
your  conscience  and  your  heart,  and  to  ask. 
— Am  I  faithfully  discharging  this  obligation  ? 
— am  I  fulfilling  ttiy  duty  in  regard  to  the  ex- 
tension of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  ? — am  I 
acting  as  if  I  verily  believed  the  gospel  to  be 
the  most  precious  of  all  gifts  of  Clod  to  fallen, 
lost  man  ;  and  that  there  can  be  no  real  hap- 
piness, temporal  or  eternal,  without  it  ? — am 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  85 

I,  in  a  word,  habitually  acting  toward  my 
destitute  fellow-creatures  as  I  should  wish 
them,  if  I  were  in  their  situation,  to  act  to- 
ward me  ?  Which  of  us,  dear  reader,  can 
honestly  answer  these  questions  without  a 
consciousness  of  deep  delinquency  ?  And  if 
any  of  us  are  compelled,  in  candour,  to  reply 
that  we  are  entirely,  or  in  a  great  measure, 
neglecting  the  duty  to  which  they  refer,  how 
can  we  dare  to  take  the  name  or  the  seat  of 
Christians  ? 

I  fear  there  is  a  large  amount  of  self-decep- 
tion in  the  minds  of  many  professing  Chris- 
tians in  regard  to  this  subject.  If  they  were 
asked,  Can  any  one  be  a  disciple  of  Christ 
who  does  not  sincerely  desire  the  spread  of 
the  gospel,  and  the  enlargement  of  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom  ?  they  would  promptly  and 
decisively  answer,  No.  If  they  were  again 
asked,  whether  it  is  possible  either  for  the 
church,  or  for  any  individuals,  to  prosecute 
any  extensive  plan  for  evangelizing  the  world, 
without  a  large  expenditure  of  funds,  they 
would  with  equal  promptness  and  decision 
reply.  No.  If  further  interrogated,  how 
these  funds  were  to  be  obtained,  they  would, 
without  hesitation,  say,  The  members  of  the 
church   ought,   doubtless,  to   furnish  them. 

8 


86  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

But  if  one  question  more  were  addressed  to 
them — Have  you  contributed  your  due  pro- 
portion of  what  ought  to  be  furnished  for  this 
great  object  ?  they  would  probably  respond — 
"  Not,  perhaps,  fully,  but  we  have  contribu- 
ted as  much  as  was  convenient,  and  we  trust 
that  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  whose  is 
the  power,  will  provide  all  that  may  be  neces- 
sary for  the  accomplishment  of  the  object." 
Is  this  the  spirit  of  those  who  would  deal 
honestly  with  conscience,  and  with  God  ?    Did 
the  Redeemer  do  no  more  than  was  convenient 
for  our  salvation  ?   Did  the  Apostles  do  nothing 
more   than  was  convenient  for  bearing  tlie 
glad  tidings  of  great  joy  to  the  benighted  and 
the  perishing  ?     Will  those  poor,  stinted  con- 
tributions, made  without  self-denial  or  a  sac- 
rifice, and  which  you  feel,  at  the  time,  to  be 
falling  below  what  they  ought  to  be,  give  any 
satisfaction  in  a  dying  hour,  when  you  come 
to  review  your  course,  and  examine  the  evi- 
dences of  your  sincere  discipleship  ?     "0  that 
we  were  wise,  that  we  understood  this,  that 
we  would  consider  our  latter  end  !" 

We  look  back  with  sorrow  and  shame  on 
the  want  of  zeal  and  energy  on  the  part  of 
those  who  liave  gone  before  us,  wlicn  we  re- 
collect that  ciglitucu  centuries  have  passed 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  87 

away,  since  the  full  light  of  gospel  knowledge 
and  privilege  has  dawned  upon  our  world ; 
and  yet  not  more  than  one  quarter  part  of 
the  population  of  our  globe  has  ever  heard 
of  the  glad  tidings  of  redeeming  love.  Our 
fathers  quieted  their  consciences  with  one  plea 
or  another,  while  they  were  doing  so  little  to 
send  the  light  of  life  to  those  who  were  sit- 
ting in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death.  We 
are  quieting  our  consciences  with  pleas  quite 
as  insufficient  for  our  indolence.  But  how 
long  will  it  take  to  evangelize  the  world,  if 
the  work  should  go  on  no  faster  than  we  are 
now  conducting  it  ?  Alas  !  at  the  end  of  eight- 
een centuries  more,  so  slow  is  the  present 
rate  of  progress,  that,  if  we  proceed  no  faster 
than  we  are  now  doing,  and  if  the  earth's 
population  goes  on  to  increase  as  Ave  have 
reason  to  expect,  we  shall  be  found  to  have 
gained  but  little,  if  any  thing,  on  the  wants 
and  miseries  of  our  fallen  world. 

What  Presbyterian  is  there  who  loves  his 
church,  and  who,  above  all,  loves  his  Saviour, 
who  is  not  grieved  and  humbled,  when  he 
learns  how  meagre  is  the  support,  and  how 
embarrassed  the  movements  of  our  Boards  of 
Missions,  in  sending  the  gospel  to  the  desti-^ 
tute  and  the  perishing ;   when  he  reads  in  the 


88  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

various  channels  of  public  intelligence,  that 
all  our  missionary  stations,  abroad  and  at 
home,  are  calling  for  more  labourers,  and  en- 
treating us  to  extend  our  i)lans,  to  enlarge  our 
schools,  so  as  to  comprehend  the  hundreds  of 
children  who  are  waiting  to  be  taken  into 
them,  but  cannot  be  received  for  want  of  more 
means  ?  Who  is  not,  I  say,  grieved  and  hum- 
bled, when  he  finds  that  the  funds  placed  at 
the  disposal  of  our  laborious  and  faithful 
Boards  are  more  likely  to  be  diminished  than 
increased ;  that  these  funds  are  so  inadecjuate, 
that,  instead  of  enlarging  their  plans,  they  are 
likely  to  be  obliged  to  contract  them ;  that, 
instead  of  sending  more  labourers,  there  is 
danger  of  their  being  compelled  to  call  back 
some  who  have  been  sent  ?  O  that  the  friends 
of  Christ  would  be  persuaded  to  arise  as  one 
man,  and  to  say,  with  a  zeal  and  an  empha- 
sis never  yet  put  forth,  "These  things  must 
not  be  so  !  and,  God  behig  our  hcljicr,  these 
things  shall  no  longer  be  so  !" 

Our  blessed  Saviour  long  ago  said,  "The 
children  of  this  world  are  wisor  in  their  gen- 
eration than  the  children  o(  light.''  Of  the 
truth  of  this  fact,  we  liave  testimonials  so  nu- 
merous and  striking,  tliat  they  cannot  escape 
observation,  and  ought  most  deeply  to  hum- 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  89 

ble  us  before  God.  The  lovers  of  worldly- 
gain,  of  carnal  pleasure,  and  of  secular  show 
and  honours,  are  ready  to  bestow  treasures 
without  stint  on  their  favourite  objects.  Who 
does  not  know  that  millions  on  millions  are 
freely,  nay,  eagerly  hestowedoninioxicatingt^ 
poisons,  which,  if  devoted  to  the  hallowed 
work  of  evangelizing  the  world,  would  suf- 
fice for  sending  the  gospel  to  every  heathen 
nation  now  accessible  to  the  religion  of 
Christ  ?  Who  does  not  every  day  see  the 
votaries  of  this  world  submitting  to  priva- 
tions, and  making  sacrifices  for  promoting 
temporal  objects,  which,  if  they  could  be  de- 
voted to  our  missionary  Boards,  would  fur- 
nish the  most  ample  means  for  executing 
their  largest  plans  ?  And  shall  we  be  com- 
pelled to  sit  down,  under  the  mortifying  con- 
clusion that  the  mass  of  Christians  cannot  be 
excited  to  pay  equal  attention,  and  to  take  an 
equal  interest  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  though 
they  acknowledge  it  to  be  of  infinitely  more 
importance  than  all  the  kingdoms  of  this 
world  and  the  glory  of  them  ?  Remember 
how  busy  the  enemies  of  religion  are,  in  cir- 
culating their  corrupt  opinions,  their  infidel 
tracts,  and  all  those  destructive  influences 
which  unbelief  and  impiety  are  so  zealously 

8* 


90  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

engaged  in  scattering  abroad.  Remember, 
too,  liow  active  and  unwearied  the  followers 
of  *'  the  man  of  sin,"  "  the  son  of  perdition" 
are,  in  spreading  abroad  their  miserable  su- 
perstitions and  idolatries  ;  how  they  compass 
sea  and  land  to  make  one  proselyte,  and  when 
they  have  gained  him,  make  him  tenfold  more 
the  child  of  perdition  than  themselves.  The 
foreign  votaries  of  the  papacy  find  it  easy  to 
collect  from  a  hundred  thousand  to  a  quarter 
of  a  million  of  dollars  annually,  for  sending 
to  our  country  to  propagate  their  unhallowed 
system  of  superstition  and  idolatry  among  us. 
And  shall  those  who  profess  to  be  animated 
■with  the  pure  love  of  Christ,  have  less  con- 
cern for  the  spread  of  the  glorious  gospel,  and 
the  salvation  of  their  fellow-men  ?  Shall 
those  wlio  are  blessed  with  the  knowledge  of 
a  pure  gospel,  and  who  profess  to  have  felt 
its  power,  be  unwilling  to  take  the  same  pains, 
and  to  make  equal  sacrifices  lor  sending  to  the 
destitute  and  the  perishing,  that  gospel  which 
is  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  to  every  one 
that  believcth  ?  Alas,  alas  !  what  shall  we 
say  to  the  cavillers  who  exultingly  recite 
these  things,  and  who  allege  that  the  system 
of  Romanism  is  more  benign,  and  more  abun- 


OP    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  91 

dantly  productive  of  benevolent  fruits  than 
that  of  Protestants  ? 

Nor  ought  we,  in  our  meditations  on  this 
subject,  to  forget  the  noble  example  of  our 
brethren  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland,^ 
since  their  separation  from  the  national  estab- 
lishment, and  their  assertion  of  "  that  liberty 
wherewith  Christ  hath  made  his  people  free." 
Though,  by  the  disruption  of  their  seculari- 
ties,  they  have  given  up  all  their  public  en- 
dowments, and  consigned  their  congregations 
to  poverty,  and  to  a  struggle  with  all  those 
difficulties  which  poverty  brings  with  it; 
though,  from  that  thrilling  hour,  they  were 
compelled  to  take  upon  themselves  burdens 
and  responsibilities  to  which  they  had  been 
altogether  unaccustomed  ;  yet  they  have  not 
only  replaced,  substantially,  national  endow- 
ments, by  the  abundance  of  their  spontaneous  ,' 
contributions,  but  they  have  also  contributed^^ 
more  for  missionary  objects,  during  the  short 
time  that  they  have  stood  alone,  than  the 
whole  endowed  church  ever  raised  before 
the  disruption  !  How  was  this  ?  Their  af- 
fliction gave  them  a  deeper  sense  of  the 
value  of  the  gospel,  and  of  their  obligations  to 
send  it,  as  far  as  they  could,  to  the  oppressed 
and  the  miserable.     We  are  accustomed  to 


92  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCB 

speak  of  their  achievements  with  applause ; 
0  that  we  may  catch  something  of  their  spir- 
it, and  learn,  hke  them,  as  the  demands  on 
our  Christian  hberahty  rise  higher,  and  be- 
come more  abundant,  to  open  our  liearts 
with  cheerful  and  ever  increasing  enlarge- 
ment I 

Dear  reader  !  when  you  enter  into  your 
closet,  and  ask  the  blessing  of  God  on 
your  own  soul ;  when  you  thank  him  that 
your  lot  is  cast  in  a  land  of  Christian  light 
and  knowledge  ;  when  you  pray  that  your 
liible,  your  Sabbaths,  and  all  the  means  of 
grace  with  which  you  are  favoured,  may  be 
blessed  to  your  own  spiritual  benefit ;  do  you 
never  suffer  your  mind  to  turn  toward  those 
who  are  destitute  of  all  these  spiritual  j)rivi- 
leges  ?  And  if  you  ever  think  of  them,  in  all 
their  darkness  and  misery,  can  you  divest 
yourself  of  the  conviction,  that  you  owe 
them  something — more  than  you  have  ever 
doue  for  them?  And  can  you  ponder  this 
^  debt  in  your  mind,  without  rousing  from  your 
lethargy,  and  resolving  that,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  you  will  endeavor  to  do  more  than  you 
have  ever  yet  duiu;  for  their  benefit  ?  And 
oh,  in  that  solemn  placf,  and  in  that  tender 
and  solemn  season,  when  you  extend  your 


OF    THE    aVIONTHLY    CONCERT.  93 

views  forward  a  little  ;  when  you  think  of  a 
dying  hour,  and  of  the  responsibilities  con- 
nected with  your  appearance  before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ,  can  you  reflect  without 
pain  on  the  millions  sitting  in  the  region  and 
shadow  of  death,  for  whose  temporal  and 
eternal  benefit  you  have  contributed  far  less 
than  for  some  of  the  veriest  luxuries,  which 
you  would  have  been  as  healthful  and  as  hap- 
py without  as  with  ? 

Ministers  of  the  gospel !  suffer  an  aged 
brother,  who  feels  himself  to  be  on  the  verge 
of  his  great  account,  to  speak  to  you  with 
freedom  and  affection.  I  cannot  divest  my- 
self of  the  impression  that  a  large  part  of  the 
delinquency  in  zeal  and  effort  in  this  great 
cause,  in  many  of  our  churches,  may  be 
traced,  in  some  measure  at  least,  to  the  want 
of  that  deep  interest,  and  those  corresponding 
indefatigable  labours  in  behalf  of  this  cause, 
which  ought  to  characterize  their  spiritual 
leaders  and  guides.  I  recollect  too  well,  be- 
loved brethren,  my  own  delinquencies  as  a 
pastor,  to  admit  of  my  pleading  with  you  in 
any  other  than  t'.ie  most  respectful  and  affec- 
tionate language.  It  is  presumed  you  have 
made  up  your  minds,  that  it  is  not  your  duty 
to  engage  in  missionary  work,  either  in  the 


94  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

foreign  or  domestic  field.  But  is  there,  there- 
fore, nothing  incumbent  on  you  in  relation 
to  the  great  missionary  cause  ?  I  answer, 
just  as  much  and  as  solemnly  as  if  you  were 
yourselves  labourers  in  that  great  field.  If 
you  were  missionaries,  you  would  be  bound 
to  do  all  in  your  power  to  carry  the  gospel  to 
those  who  had  it  not.  But,  being  pastors,  or 
labourers  at  home,  you  are  bound  by  equally 
strong  and  solemn  ties  to  do  all  in  your  pow- 
er to  send  the  gospel  to  those  who  are  with- 
out it.  You  complain,  perhaps,  and  express 
regret  tliat  your  people  are  torpid  and  back- 
ward in  fulfilling  their  duty  in  regard  to  the 
cause  of  missions.  But,  beloved  brethren,  is 
no  share  of  the  blame  for  this  delinquency  to 
be  laid  at  your  door  ?  Have  you  done  all  in 
your  power  to  enlighten,  stimulate,  and  urge 
them  forward  to  the  discharge  of  their  du- 
ty ?  Have  you  taken  care  to  inform  your- 
selves of  the  wants  and  miseries  of  the  hea- 
then, and  of  those  in  our  own  land,  who  are 
destitute  of  the  gospel  ?  Have  you  carried  a 
deep  impression  of  these  wants  and  miseries 
with  you  into  the  ])nlpit  from  Sabbath  to 
Sabbath,  and  into  the  family  visitation  from 
house  to  house,  and  liave  you  laboured  faith- 
fully to  impart  this  impression  to  all  who  lis- 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  95 

ten  to  your  voice  ?  Are  you  careful  to  keep 
all  whom  you  either  statedly  or  occasionally 
address,  awake  and  alive,  from  time  to  time, 
to  the  claims  of  God  upon  them,  as  workers 
together  with  him  in  spreading  the  gospel  ? 
Are  your  habitual  preaching,  your  public  and 
social  prayers,  and  your  daily  example  a  con- 
stant memento  of  their  duty,  and  a  powerful 
stimulus  to  its  performance  ?  If  the  leaders 
and  guides  of  the  people  have  not  done  this, 
are  they  free  from  the  guilt  of  their  people's 
delinquency  ?  0,  if  pastors  really  performed 
their  duty  with  fidelity  and  zeal,  there  would 
be  little  need  of  public  agents  to  go  from 
church  to  church  to  remind  those  pastors  of 
their  duty,  and  in  fact,  to  take  it  out  of  their 
hands,  and  do  it  for  them.  If  the  great  body 
of  our  pastors  were  animated  with  the  spirit 
of  Brainerd,  and  Whitefield,  and  Mills,  and 
Evarts,  and  many  more  who  might  be  men- 
tioned, would  the  cause  languish  and  stand 
still  in  so  many  of  our  churches  as  it  now 
does  ?  Yet  can  any  one  doubt  that  all  our 
ministers  ought  to  possess  this  spirit,  and  that 
it  is  to  be  lamented  that  they  do  not  ?  Yes, 
it  is  because  so  many  who  bear  the  sacred 
office  appear  to  take  so  little  interest  in  the 
missionary  cause,  and  either  forget  or  neglect 


96  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

to  bring  it  before  the  minds  of  their  people  ; 
and,  when  they  do  attempt  to  speak  of  it,  do 
it  with  so  httle  apparent  feeling,  that  they  per- 
mit the  subject,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  to  die 
away  in  the  memories  and  liearts  of  those 
committed  to  their  charge. 

Elders  and  Deacons  of  the  church  of  God  ! 
allow  me,  before  I  close,  to  address  a  word  of 
exhortation  and  entreaty  to  you  !  You  are 
set  to  be  counsellors  and  helpers  of  your  pas- 
tors in  attending  to  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
wants  of  the  flock.  Oi'  course,  if  your  pas- 
tors, from  feeble  health,  or  failing  memories, 
or  depressed  spirits,  become  at  any  time,  de- 
linquent in  attending  to  the  claims  of  the  mis- 
sionary cause,  it  is  your  privilege  and  your 
duty  to  interpose  and  to  prevent  its  being  ne- 
glected or  forgotten,  so  that  3"ou  may  be  eve- 
ry day  saying  or  doing  something  to  impart 
knowledge,  or  awaken  zeal  in  regard  to  this 
great  cause.  By  doubling  your  own  exer- 
tions, and  endeavouring,  each  one,  to  excite 
some  friend  and  neighbour  to  do  the  same ; 
and  by  labouring,  in  all  your  intercourse  with 
the  members  of  your  respective  congrega- 
tions to  excite  and  extend  a  missionary  spirit ; 
by  urging  every  one  who  can  read,  to  take 
the  missionary  publications  of  our  Boards, 


OF    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  97 

you  may  accomplish  an  amount  of  aid  to  the 
cause  which  you  cannot  now  anticipate. 

Young  Christian !  This  subject  ought  to 
be  especially  interesting  to  you.  You  are 
now  setting  out  in  your  career  of  devotion 
and  usefulness.  If  your  course  is  to  be  an 
elevated  and  noble  one,  let  it  be  as  early  as 
possible  in  good  earnest.  Begin  at  once  to 
feel  and  act  on  the  principle,  that  you  are 
not  your  own  ;  that  you  and  all  you  have  are 
entirel)''  and  forever  the  Lord's.  Be  assured 
there  is  nothing  worth  living  for,  but  to  do 
good,  and  to  promote  the  enlargement  of  the  j^ 
Redeemer's  kingdom ;  and  the  earlier,  and 
the  more  sincerely  and  thoroughly  you  enter 
into  the  spirit  of  this  plan  of  life,  the  happier 
you  will  be,  and  the  richer  blessing  to  your 
generation.  Oh  my  dear  young  friends  !  if 
you  Avould  only  realize  the  happiness  which 
grows  out  of  being  habitually  "  constrained 
by  the  love  of  Christ,"  you  would  turn  away 
from  all  the  grovelling  and  ignoble  pursuits 
in  which  a  worldly  spirit  delights,  and  make 
his  glory  your  supreme  good. 

'  Worldly  man  !  have  you  nothing  to  do 
with  this  subject  ?  Though  you  do  not  pro- 
fess to  love  or  seek  the  Redeemer's  kingdom, 

yet  you  profess  to  have  a  benevolent  regard 

9 


98  LETTERS    ON    THE    OBSERVANCE 

to  the  happiness  of  your  fellow-men.  You 
would  be  unwilling  to  be  regarded  as  su- 
premely selfish,  and  especially  as  misanthro- 
pic in  regard  to  the  great  interests  of  tempo- 
ral and  social  happiness.  But  have  you  not 
seen  and  heard  enough  to  know  that  sending 
the  gospel  to  those  who  have  it  not,  whether 
at  home  or  abroad,  has  a  tendency  essentially 
to  improve  their  condition  in  this  world,  to 
say  nothing  of  that  which  is  to  come  ?  Have 
you  no  desire  to  take  part  in  sending  to  your 
fellow-men,  that  which,  if  received,  will  ren- 
der them  more  pure,  more  temperate,  more 
industrious,  and  more  happy;  Avhich  will 
strike  at  the  root  of  all  those  habits  which 
tend  to  destroy  personal  and  domestic  com- 
fort, and  even  life  itself,  and  to  elevate  them 
at  once  on  the  scale  of  rational  and  social  ex- 
istence ?  If  you  cannot  love  the  gospel,  can 
you  not  see  enough  in  the  history  of  Chris- 
tian missions  to  satisfy  you  that,  in  aiding 
them,  you  are  aiding  the  great  cause  of  hu- 
man happiness  ?  and  if  so,  on  what  ground 
can  you  hesitate  for  a  moment  ? 

Finally,  let  us  all  endeavour  to  rouse  our- 
selves to  deeper  sensibility,  and  more  active 
zeal  on  this  great  subject.  Let  the  language 
of  the  evangelical  prophet  be  sounding  in  our 


OP    THE    MONTHLY    CONCERT.  99 

ears  wherever  we  go,  and  whatever  we  un- 
dertake, "  Awake,  awake,  put  on  strength,  0 
Zion  !"  (Isaiah  lii.  1.)  0  that  it  might  please 
the  Lord  to  raise  up  another  Isaiah;  another 
Hke  him  in  spirit  and  in  eloquence,  to  go  forth 
through  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land, 
proclaiming  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  Awake, 
awake,  put  on  strength,  0  Zion  !  Or  rather, 
0  that  it  might  please  Isaiah's  God  to  pour 
out  upon  all  our  churches,  and  upon  all  our 
ministers  and  elders,  a  spirit  of  awakening, 
and  of  active  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls  ! 
What  object  in  the  universe,  let  me  ask,  can 
more  emphatically  or  more  worthily  call  on 
us  to  put  forth  all  our  strength,  than  that  of 
extending  the  Redeemer's  empire,  and  pro- 
moting the  everlasting  benefit  of  millions  of 
immortal  spirits ;  and  for  this  purpose  send- 
ing them  that  glorious  gospel,  which  is  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one 
that  believeth  ?  Surely  here  is  an  object  wor- 
thy of  every  eifort,  and  of  every  sacrifice  that 
can  be  made  by  intelligent  and  accountable 
creatures. — Again,  then,  I  say,  in  the  language 
of  the  Prophet,  to  every  minister,  every 
member,  and  every  well-wisher  of  our  Zion, 
Awake  !  Awake  !  Pray  and  labour  without 
ceasing,  until  there  shall   be  a  general  and 


100  LETTERS    ETC. 

united  movement  of  our  whole  church  to  carry 
the  glorious  gospel  to  every  kindred,  and  peo- 
ple, and  nation,  and  tongue  ;  until  the  know- 
ledge and  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  "cover  the 
earth,  as  the  waters  fill  the  sea."     Amen  ! 


A  MISSIONARY'S  APPEAL. 


The  following'  earnest  and  pointed  appeal,  from  a  mis- 
sionary in  Calcutta,  addressed  to  professing  Christians  in 
India,  seems  to  have  an  appropriate  place  here,  [Editor 
of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication.] 

Do  you  ever  attend  the  Missionary  Prayer 
Meeting  ? 

Dear  Friends  : — Do  you  ever  attend  the 
Monthly  Missionary  Prayer  Meeting?  If 
not,  come  and  see.  You  are  Christians  by 
profession,  and  doubtless  feel  interested  in  the 
progress  of  Christianity  in  the  world ;  at  least 
you  should  ;  for  angels,  who  know  more  of 
the  worth  of  the  soul,  and  the  importance  of 
its  salvation,  rejoice  over  every  sinner  who  re- 
pents ;  they  feel  deeply  interested  in  the  sal- 
vation of  mankind.  The  Lord  Jesus,  in 
whom  you  profess  to  rest  all  your  hopes  for 
salvation,  feels  intensely  interested  in  the  sal- 
vation of  men.  He  sees  of  the  travail  of  his 
soul  in  it  and  is  satisfied.  Who  will  be  there  ? 
Were  the  angels  of  God  on  earth  in  human 
form,  they  would  be  present  at  the  Mis- 
sionary Prayer  Meeting.     They  would  not 

9* 


102  A    MISSIONARY    APPEAL. 

neglect  it  either  for  the  purposes  of  ease,  or 
pleasure,  or  aggrandizement ;  no,  they  would 
press  through  all  to  be  there  ;  yea,  even  as 
they  found  their  way  to  the  house  of  Lot  in 
Sodom,  so  would  they  find  their  way  to  that 
sanctuary  in  which  is  held  the  assembly 
for  united  prayer.  If  the  Lord  Jesus  were 
on  earth,  as  he  was  when  he  tabernacled 
amongst  men,  he  would  be  there,  the  most  in- 
terested of  all  spectators.  If  it  is  the  spot  to- 
wards which  the  Saviour  of  the  world  would 
bend  his  steps,  because  there  he  would  find 
those  who  are  interested  in  the  great  work 
for  which  he  died  and  rose  again ;  if  angels 
and  our  blessed  Master  would  be  there  were 
they  on  earth,  why  should  not  you  go  ?  Why 
should  you,  or  how  can  you,  stay  away  ? 
Nay,  Christ  is  there,  for  he  has  promised  to 
be  in  the  midst  of  his  people,  even  with  two 
or  tliree,  when  they  unite  together  in  ])rayer; 
and  he  lias  further  said,  that  if  we  agree 
touching  any  thing,  it  shall  be  given.  The 
Spirit  of  God  is  there,  waiting  to  pour  out  a 
blessing  upon  the  church  and  the.  world,  to 
enlighten,  convert  and  sanctify  the  wliolc  hu- 
man family.  The  Father  of  mercies,  the  (lod 
of  all  grace,  is  there,  waiting  to  ]m  gracious; 
for  for  these  things  he  will  be  incpiired  of,  by 


A    MISSIONARY    APPEAL.  103 

the  house  of  Israel,  that  he  may  do  them  for 
them.  The  whole  hierarchy  of  heaven  watch 
over  it  with  intense  interest.  And  seeing  we 
are  encompassed  with  so  great  a  cloud  of 
witnesses,  let  us  be  present ;  let  us  lay  aside 
every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily 
induce  us  to  remain  away,  or  be  negligent  of 
the  Missionary  Prayer  Meeting 

The  object  of  the  Missionary  Prayer  Meet- 
ing has  a  strong  claim  on  you  as  a  Christian. 
It  is  to  beseech  God  to  pour  out  his  blessing 
upon  mankind,  to  pray  that  he  would  fulfil 
his  gracious  and  glorious  promises  to  the 
church  and  the  world,  that  he  would  put 
away  sin  from  the  human  family,  and  bring 
about  that  period  when  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  shall  be  blessed  with  peace,  and  joy, 
and  hope.  As  you  look  abroad  upon  the 
mass  of  idolators,  and  Mahommedans,  and 
Romanists,  and  unconverted  nominal  Christ- 
ians ;  some  of  them,  it  may  be,  domestics, 
relatives,  neighbours  with  whom  you  may  be 
on  terms  of  intimacy  and  friendship  ;  can  you, 
as  you  look  upon  such  and  read  such  solemn 
declarations  of  Holy  writ  as  these — "  Except 
ye  be  born  again  ye  cannot  see  the  kingdom 
of  God" — "  No  idolator,  nor  whosoever  lov- 
eth  or  maketh  a  He,  shall  have  inheritance  in 


104  A    MISSIONARY    APPEAL. 

the  kingdom  of  God" — can  you  look  abroad 
under  such  circumstances,  and  not  feel  con- 
cerned for  their  salvation ;  especially  when 
you  know  that  it  has  been  said,  by  the  un- 
erring Teacher,  Jesus,  "  What  shall  it  profit  a 
man,  if  he  should  gain  the  whole  world  and 
lose  his  own  soul  ?"  Can  you  be  indifferent 
under  such  circumstances  ;  unfeeling  in  such 
a  position  ?  Can  you  stay  away  from  the  as- 
sembly which  is  engaged  in  supplication  for 
the  coming  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  the  es- 
tablishment of  peace,  and  truth,  and  right- 
eousness on  the  earth  ?  Ponder  and  pray 
over  your  own  state  if  you  can,  and  fear  lest 
you  should  come  short  of  the  rest  promised 
to  the  people  of  God.  Fear  lest  you  should 
not  yet  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  lest 
you  have  a  name  to  live  and  be  yet  dead. 
"  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  Christ  shall 
giv^e  thee  life.  Some  have  not  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ ;  I  speak  this  to  your  shame." 

Yours,  &c., 

Pastor. 


Princeton   Theolog 

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